UNIVERSITY  OF 

ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 

ILLINOIS  HISTORICAL  SURVEY 


CLERICAL  BEAD  ROLL 


OF  THE 


DIOCESE  of  ALTON,  ILL. 


By 

A.  ZURBONSEN 

(Sacerdos  Altonensis) 


1918 


PRICE,  ONE  DOLLAR 


Requiem  aeternam  dona  eis  Domine, 
Et  lux  perpetua  luceat  eis 
Requiescant  in  Pace 


s 


F  recent  years  earnest  and  laudable  efforts  are  being  made  of 
rummaging  through  archives  ami  book  shelves,  newspaper 
files,  scrap-bcoks,  etc.,  for  the  purpose  of  delving  into  the 
past  and  of  extricating  therefrom  such  facts  and  figures  as 
are  thought  to  be  of  importance,  or  at  least  oi  interest  to  the  present 
and  coming  generation.  Numerous  historical  societies,  both  in  church 
and  state  are  founded  for  the  purpose  of  conserving  and  saving  from 
oblivion  and  destruction  such  names,  deeds  and  mementos  of  men  of 
action,  who  have  generously  contributed  by  their  noble  lives  and  un- 
selfish endeavors  to  the  betterment  of  society. 

To  this  class  of  public  benefactors  >the  deceased  members  of  our 
Catholic  Clergy  must  be  added  ;  hence  it  seems  but  just  and  meet,  that 
their  names  and  achievements  be  perpetuated  and  handed  down  to 
posterity.  Though  not  all  have  met  with  equal  success  in  their  voca- 
tional sphere  of  activity,  yet,  all  were  animated  by  the  one  and  same 
impulse,  viz,  to  make  the  world  better  than  it  had  been  before.  To 
this  end  they  ceaselessly  toiled  and  moiled  from  early  'till  late,  for  it 
their  noble,  unselfish  and  Christ-like  lives  were  spent. 

It  would  appear  that  there  were  no  time  more  propitious  or  more 
opportune  than  the  present  that  the  publication  of  brief  biographical 
sketches  of  these  indefatigable  workers  in  the  Master's  vinyard  of  the 
Diocese  of  Alton  be  launched  forth  in  print.  May  they  serve  a  source 
of  pious  edification  to  the  faithful  and  a  powerful  stimulant  to  their 
surviving  confreres. 

Regarding  the  Alton  diocesan  clergy,  however,  the  following  bit 
of  history  not  generally  known  may  here  be  adverted  to,  namely,  that 
prior  to  the  erection  of  the  bishopric  of  Chicago  in  1843,  the  spiritual 
jurisdiction  over  the  Catholic  population  of  Illinois  had  been  exercised 
by  the  bishops  of  Yincennes  and  St.  Louis.  The  pioneer  priests  who 
in  those  days  ministered  to  the  needs  of  the  people  living  within  the 
territory  of  the  present  diocese  of  Alton  received  their  "faculties"  from 
them.  Many  were  recalled,  however,  by  their  respective  Ordinaries  to 
their  own  dioceses  as  soon  as  the  creation  of  the  Diocese  of  Chicago 
had  become  an  accomplished  fact.  Our  Catholic  people  of  the  State 
were  shepherded  thereupon  by  the  bishops  and  priests  of  Chicago  from 
1843  'till  1857,  in  which  latter  year  a  division  of  the  extensive  Diocese 
of  Chicago  took  place  and  the  Diocese  of  Alton  was  called  into  being 
Hence,  in  the  list  of  these  biographical  sketches  the  deceased  prelates 
and  priests  of  the  former  diocese  up  to  the  year  1857  must  be  accorded 
space  and  attention  if  this  work  would  claim  merit  of  completeness. 

Quincy    Ittinoi.  ZURBONSEN. 

January  1,  1918. 


418578 


RT.  REV.  WM.  QUARTER,  D.  D. 

First  Bishop  of  Chicago, 
March  10,  1844— April  10,  1848. 


"Serve    bone     et     fidelis,     intra     in     gaudium 
Domini  tui". 

During  the  fifth  Provincial  Council 
of  Baltimore  which  convened  May  14, 
1843,  the  Bishops  present  proposed  to 
the  Holy  See  the  formation  of  three 
new  bishoprics,  namely,  Little  Rock, 
Albany  and  Chicago.  The  pious  and 
zealous  pastor  of  St.  Mary's,  New 
York  City,  was  appointed  first  Bishop 
of  Chicago.  He  was  consecrated  by 
the  great  Bishop  John  Hughes  in  the 
old  Cathedral  on  Mott  street,  New 
York  City,  on  the  third  Sunday  of 
Lent,  March  10,  1844. 

With  the  coming  of  Bishop  Quarter 
to  Chicago  the  southeastern  portion 
of  our  present  diocese  became  elim- 
inated from  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Bishop  of  Vincennes,  whose  valiant 
clergy  were  likewise  withdrawn,  and 
henceforth  became  subject  to  the  new 
Ordinary  of  Chicago.  Some  of  our 
older  men  served  yet  under  him.  Like- 
wise did  all  jurisdiction  of  Bishop 
Rosati  of  St.  Louis  cease  over  Illinois. 

Bishop  William  Quarter  was  born 
in  Killurine,  Kings  County,  Ireland, 
January  21,  1806.  When  sixteen  years 


old  he  came  to  America,  April  10, 
1822.  The  vessel  in  which  he  sailed 
landed  at  Quebec.  He  applied  to  the 
Bishop  of  Quebec  and  Montreal  to  be 
received  as  an  ecclesiastical  student 
but  his  youth  was  urged  as  an  objec- 
tion. He  then  went  to  Mt.  St.  Mary's, 
Emmitsburg,  Md.,  where  he  was 
gladly  welcomed  by  Fr.  Dubois,  presi- 
dent of  that  institution.  His  progress, 
owing  to  a  well-made  preparatory 
course  was  rapid.  On  Sept.  19,  1829, 
he  was  raised  to  the  dignity  of  the 
priesthood  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Du- 
bois, Bishop  of  New  York  under  a 
special  dispensation,  he  not  being  23 
years  old.  He  became  at  once  pastor 
of  St.  Peter's  and  on  June  9,  1833, 
pastor  of  the  new  St.  Mary's  parish, 
which  position  he  held  till  elevated  to 
the  Episcopacy  in  1844.  The  recall  of 
the  priests  by  the  Bishop  of  Vin- 
cennes from  in  and  around  Chicago 
and  other  portions  of  the  eastern  half 
of  the  state  beset  the  new  Bishop  with 
unexpected  difficulties.  In  conse- 
quence he  set  about  founding  a  col- 
lege, the  nucleus  of  the  future  Uni- 
versity of  St.  Mary  of  the  Lake,  be- 

Page  Seven 


ginning  with  six  students  and  two 
professors.  Throughout  his  short 
episcopal  career  he  maintained  the 
same  unflagging,  zealous  spirit  which 
had  characterized  him  as  pastor  in 
Xew  York.  He  set  out  on  a  tour  of 
inspection  of  the  diocese.  A  diocesan 
visitation  in  those  days  was  an  ardu- 
ous undertaking  fraught  with  many 
risks  and  hazards,  at  a  time  when  the 
vehicle  was  an  ox-team  or  horse 
wagon,  or  horse-back,  sitting  on  the 
quaint  saddle-bags,  journeying  over 
marsh  or  prairie  or  through  the  forest 
— for  Illinois  along  her  creeks  and 
rivers  had  in  the  forties  her  heavy 
wooded  sections.  Add  to  all  this  his 
mental  work  preparing  for  and  hold- 
ing his  synod,  publishing  his  excellent 
pastorals  to  mission  rectors  and  their 


flocks,  and  above  all  that  ever  abiding 
thought  "The  solicitude  of  all  the 
Church,"  of  which  an  account  is  to 
be  handed  to.  the  Shepherd  of  Souls. 
No  wonder,  being  anyhow  of  a  frail 
and  delicate  constitution,  when  he 
was  shouldered  "with  a  load  that 
would  sink  a  navy,"  he  sank  under  the 
weight — writes  Father  Shaw  in  the 
story  of  the  La  Salle  Mission — and 
after  four  years  strengthened  by  all 
that  is  refreshing  and  hopef'il,  passed 
to  his  Lord,  Whom  he  had  served  so 
faithfully.  Consummates  brevi  ex- 
plevit  multa! 

Bishop  William  Quarter,  who  died 
a  rather  sad  and  sudden  death  April 
10,  1848,  was  buried  in  a  vault  under 
the  main  altar  of  old  St.  Mary's  Cathe- 
dral, in  Chicago.  R.  I.  P. 


RT.  REV.  JAMES  OLIVER  VAN  DE  VELDE,  D.  D. 

Second    Bishop    of    Chicago, 
February,    1849^-November,    1853. 


"Hie     vir    despiciens     mundum      et     terrena 
triumphans,      divitias      coelo      condidit      ore, 


that  the  Holy  See  had  found  a  worthy 
successor  in  the  person  of  Very  Rev. 
The  calamity  which  by  the  sudden       Oliver  Van  de  Velde,   S.  J.,  a  native 
death  of  the  energetic  young  Bishop       of  Belgium,  born  April  3,  1795.  He  was 


Quarter  had  cast  a  pall  of  gloom  and 
sadness  over  the  youthful  diocese  of 
Chicago  on  April  10,  1848,  was  some- 
what mitigated  when  it  became  known 

Page  Eight 


a  former  president  of  St.  Louis  Uni- 
versity and  vice  president  of  the 
Order;  a  man  of  great  moral  force 
and  learning,  well  equipped  for  the 


exalted  though  onerous  and  respon- 
sible position.  The  brother  of  the  de- 
ceased Bishop  who  had  been  his  Vicar 
General  and  counsellor  in  many  dif- 
ficulties and  perplexities,  V.  Rev. 
Walter  J.  Quarter,  had  acted  in  the 
meantime  as  Administrator  of  the  be- 
reaved diocese,  receiving  the  appoint- 
ment to  that  position  from  the  Most 
Rev.  Dr.  Eccleston  of  Baltimore. 

The  prominent  position  occupied 
by  Father  Van  de  Velde  in  his  own 
Order,  the  important  services  ren- 
dered by  him  to  the  cause  of  religion 
in  the  United  States  and  the  acquaint- 
ance which  was  thus  formed  between 
him  and  many  Prelates  of  the  church 
who  entertained  a  high  appreciation  of 
his  talents,  piety  and  zeal  led  to  his 
being  selected  as  the  successor  to 
Bishop  Quarter  in  the  diocese  of  Chi- 
cago. Archbishop  Eccleston  received 
from  Rome  the  bulls  appointing  him 
to  that  See  Dec.  1,  1848.  He  was 
consecrated  by  the  Archbishop  of  St. 
Louis,  Most  Rev.  Peter  Kenrick,  as- 
sisted by  Bishop  Loras  of  Dubuque 
and  Bishop  Miles  of  Nashville,  on 
Sunday,  February  11,  1849,  in  the 
Church  of  St.  Francis  Xavier.  at- 
tached to  the  St.  Louis  University. 
Bishop  Spalding  of  Louisville 
preached  the  consecration  sermon. 

The  advent  of  the  new  Bishop  into 
his  diocese  was  hailed  with  delight 
by  the  clergy  and  laity  of  Chicago. 
After  spending  a  few  months  in  ar- 
ranging the  concerns  of  the  diocese  in 
Chicago  and  vicinity,  he  began  his 
first  visitation  July  25,  1849.  These 
visitations  were  journeys  of  severe 
labor  and  unremitting  zeal  for  the 
spiritual  improvement  of  his  flock. 
Besides  administering  confirmation  at 
all  practicable  times  and  places,  the 
distances  were  so  great  and  the  means 
of  traveling  so  inconvenient  and  un- 
certain, that  he  had  to  pass  through 
the  country  as  a  missionary  laboring 


for  the  salvation  of  souls  and  per- 
forming every  kind  of  clerical  and 
spiritual  service.  Twice  he  made  such 
episcopal  visitations  throughout  the 
vast  extent  of  his  diocese  within 
whose  confines  the  entire  state  was 
embraced,  hence  also  the  territory  of 
our  present  Alton  diocese. 

Bishop  Van  de  Velde's  health  had 
not  been  good  for  several  years;  he 
suffered  severely  from  rheumatism 
which  was  greatly  aggravated  by  the 
cold,  damp  and  penetrating  air  of  Chi- 
cago. His  health  was  still  further  im- 
paired by  the  anxieties  of  his  office 
and  by  the  hostility  and  opposition  of 
a  small  number  of  his  clergy  and 
laity.  A  few  disaffected  persons  can 
accomplish  much  evil,  and  Bishop 
Van  de  Velde  found  himself  fre- 
quently without  adequate  sympathy 
or  support  in  his  charitable  efforts. 
(R.  H.  Clark  in  "Lives  of  Deceased 
Bishops.") 

In  consequence  of  his  suffering 
health  and  the  unfavorable  influence 
of  the  northwestern  climate  he  for- 
warded a  petition  to  Rome  to  be  re- 
leased from  the  burden  of  office.  It 
was  during  the  second  visitation  of 
his  diocese  that  he  finally  received 
from  Rome  the  brief  transferring  him 
to  the  vacant  See  of  Natchez,  agree- 
ably to  his  own  request.  The  transfer 
dates  from  July  2,  1853.  Bishop  Van 
de  Velde  departed  for  the  South  Nov. 
3,  1853,  and  arrived  at  Natchez  Nov. 
23,  where  he  was  most  joyfully  re- 
ceived by  all  the  clergy  and  people 
who  had  so  often  heard  of  his  great 
labors,  noble  sacrifices  and  heroic  ser- 
vices to  religion. 

He  died  November  13,  1855,  on  the 
Feast  of  St.  Stanislaus  in  whose  honor 
he  had  just  finished  a  novena,  aged  60 
years  and  7  months.  His  remains 
were  deposited  in  a  vault  under  the 
sanctuary  of  St.  Mary's  Cathedral  in 
Natchez. 


Pagt  Nine 


RT.  REV.  ANTHONY  O'REGAN,  D.  D. 

Third  Bishop  of  Chicago, 
1854-1857. 


"Os    justi    meditabitur    sapientiam 
Et   lingua   ejus  loquetur  judicium''. 

Bishop  O'Regan  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Lavalloe,  County  Mayo,  Ire- 
land in  the  year  1809.  After  complet- 
ing his  preparatory  studies  he  spent 
eight  years  in  Maynooth  going 
through  a  thorough  course  of  philos- 
ophy, theology,  church  history  and 
sacred  eloquence.  Having  completed 
his  ecclesiastical  studies  he  received 
Holy  Orders  and  said  his  first  Mass 
in  the  chapel  of  the  Maynooth  Col- 
lege. His  superiors  were  anxious  to 
retain  the  talented  young  priest  for 
college  work.  With  great  success  he 
taught  for  ten  years  at  St.  Jarlath's 
in  Tuam,  after  which  he  rose  to  the 
presidency  of  the  institution;  this  po- 
sition he  occupied  for  five  years  with 
the  greatest  distinction. 

In  1849  Archbishop  Kenrick  estab- 
lished his  Seminary  at  St.  Louis  and 
installed  Father  O'Regan,  whom  he 
had  induced  to  come  to  America,  as 
president.  Under  his  regime  the 
Seminary  soon  began  to  flourish  and 
to  send  forth  worthy  laborers  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord. 

Page  Ten 


Since  the  bishopric  of  Chicago  had 
become  vacant  by  the  resignation  of 
Bishop  Van  de  Velde,  the  unanimous 
choice  fell  upon  Father  O'Regan  as 
the  man  eminently  qualified  to  fill 
the  Episcopal  office  of  that  rapidly 
growing  diocese.  His  name  for  the 
position  was  forwarded  to  Rome.  The 
Holy  See,  in  consequence  of  the 
strong  recommendation  and  unani- 
mous endorsement  of  Father  O'Regan 
nominated  him  for  the  Chicago  dio- 
cese and  the  bulls  of  appointment 
were  immediately  transmitted  to  the 
Archbishop  of  St.  Louis.  However, 
the  Bishop-elect  strenuously  opposed 
the  nomination  and  sent  back  the  bulls 
to  Rome.  But  the  Holy  See  had 
spoken  and  did  not  withdraw  its  ap- 
pointment. The  papers  were  returne.l 
to  the  Bishop-elect,  who  said:  "I  ac- 
cept them  only  in  the  spirit  of  obe- 
dience." 

On  July  25,  1854,  the  feast  of  St. 
James  the  Apostle,  the  ceremony  of 
consecration  took  place  in  the  Cathe- 
dral of  St.  Louis,  the  Most  Rev.  Arch- 
bishop Kenrick  being  consecrator.  The 
assistant  Bishops  were  Rt.  Rev.  Oliver 


Van  de  Velde  of  Natchez,  Rt.  Rev. 
John  Martin  Henni  of  Milwaukee,  Rt. 
Rev.  Mathias  Loras  of  Dubuque,  and 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Miles  of  Nashville. 
The  eloquent  sermon  was  preached  by 
Rev.  James  Duggan  of  St.  Louis  (who 
a  few  years  afterwards  succeeded  him 
as  Bishop  of  Chicago). 

On  the  3rd  day  of  September,  1854, 
the  ceremony  of  installation  took 
place  in  St.  Mary's  Cathedral  amid  the 
universal  rejoicing  of  the  clergy  and 
laity  of  Chicago.  It  is  easily  under- 
stood that  a  vast  field  was  opened  to- 
Bishop  O'Regan  on  his  arrival  in  his 
See  city,  and  mighty  interests  at  stake 
claimed  his  immediate  attention,  and 
he  lost  no  time  in  looking  after  the 
pressing  needs-of  the  diocese. 

When  making  a  visitation  of  the 
diocese,  he  encountered  as  many 
hardships  as  his  predecessors,  but 
physically  a  strong  man,  he  never 
knew  sickness  nor  fatigue,  hence  he 
would  frequently  walk  from  one  mis- 


sion to  another  when  the  distance  was 
not  too  great. 

( But  Bishop  O'Regan  was  by  no 
means  a  happy  man  under  the  weighty 
burden  of  the  mitre.  He  had  accepted 
the  dignity  of  the  Episcopacy  under 
protest,  in  obedience,  and  he  could 
never  make  the  onerous  duties  con- 
genial to  his  tastes.  After  a  "trial",  as 
he  called  it,  he  determined  to  go  to 
Rome  and  place  his  resignation  into 
the  hands  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff. 
Bishop  O'Regan's  resignation  was  re- 
luctaatly  accepted  and  he  was  ap- 
pointed Bishop  of  Dora  in  partibus 
infidelium. 

He  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life 
in  quiet  retreat  at  Michael's  Grove, 
Brompton. 

The  third  Bishop  of  Chicago  died 
November  13,  1866,  aged  57  years. 
His  remains  were  conveyed  to  his 
native  parish  of  Cloufad,  Archdiocese 
of  Tuam,  where  they  found  their  last 
resting  place.  R.  I.  P. 


RT.  REV.  JOSEPH  MELCHER,  D.  D. 

Bishop-elect  of  the  Diocese  of  Quincy 
1853 

Bishop  of  Green  Bay,  Wise. 
1868-1873. 


"Justum   deduxit  Dominus   per  vias   rectas 
Et  ostendit  illi   regnum   Dei". 

Whilst  the  first  Plenary  Council  of 
Baltimore  was  in  session  (1852)  it 
was  unanimously  decided  by  the  pre- 
lates assembled  that  the  great  dio- 
cese of  Chicago  which  comprised 
within  its  jurisdiction  the  whole  state 
of  Illinois,  be  partitioned  and  a  sec- 
ond diocese  be  created.  A  petition  to 
this  effect  was  at  once  forwarded  to 
Rome.  Pope  Pius  IX  acquiesced  in 
the  wishes  thus  expressed,  and  under 
date  of  July  29,  1853,  formally  and 
officially  approved  of  the  establish- 
ment of  the  new  diocese  of  Quincy. 
The  document  which  announced  this 
important  decision  was  signed  by 
Cardinal  Lambruschini.  The  territory 
set  apart  for  the  Diocese  of  Quincy 
comprised  the  counties  of  Adams, 
Brown,  C  a  s  s,  Menard,.  Sagamon, 
Macon,  Moultrie,  Coles  and  Edgar, 


on  a  line  from  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Wabash  river.  It  was  to  be  a  suf- 
fragan bishopric  of  the  archbishopric 
of  St.  Louis.  The  new  diocese  had 
at  the  time  of  its  erection  (rather  at 
the  end  of  1853)  51  churches,  34  mis- 
sions, 23  priests  and  42,000  members. 
Bishop  Van  de  Velde  had  always 
manifested  a  great  interest  for 
Quincy,  yea  even  previous  to  the  re- 
ceipt of  above  mentioned  papal  bull 
had  already  selected  a  convenient 
spot  for  a  future  cathedral  and  epis- 
copal residence  there,  in  June,  1852. 
Had  his  ailments  and  adverse  local 
conditions  not  influenced  him  to  ab- 
dicate and  move  south  to  Natchez, 
.Quincy  would  have  had  i;s  bishop 
there  and  then. 

Rome's  selection  for  first  Bishop 
of  the  new  diocese  fell  upon  the  Very 
Rev.  Joseph  Melcher.  priest  and  Vicar 


Page  Eleven 


General  of  the  Archdiocese  of  St. 
Louis.  However,  Father  Melcher  de- 
clined the  honor,  and  refused  to  ac- 
cept. Foreseeing  the  difficult  task 
which  awaited  him  as  Administrator 
of  Chicago,  which  duty  was  assigned 
him  since  the  resignation  of  Bishop 


local  conditions,  moreover,  aggravate  1 
such  opposition.  At  the  Provincial 
Council  held  in  St.  Louis,  October, 
1855,  the  opponents  to  Quincy  were  in 
the  majority,  resolutions  were  adopted 
by  which  the  transfer  of  the  See  from 
Quincy  to  Alton  was  urgently  sug- 


Van  de  Velde  had  been  acceded  to  by 
Rome,  he  became  timorous.  The 
Quincy  diocese  —  sede  vacante  —  was 
then  placed  under  the  administrator- 
ship of  Archbishop  Kenrick  of  St. 
Louis  and  that  of  Chicago  under  the 
Bishop  of  Milwaukee  till  the  appoint- 
ment of  Bishop  Anthony  O'Regan  to 
the  vacancy  of  Chicago,  who  was  con- 
secrated in  St.  Mary's  Cathedral  of 
that  city  on  September  3,  1854. 

And  what  became  ultimately  of  the 
See  of  Quincy?  Remonstrances  to  its 
continuance  were  sent  to  Rome  based 
on  allegations  that  Quincy  as  a  seat 
of  a  Bishop  was  too  far  removed 
from  the  center  of  the  diocese,  being 
located  almost  in  its  extreme  north- 
western corner;  prevailing  adverse 


gested  to  the  Roman  Propaganda. 
Rome  acted  on  this  suggestion,  the 
Diocese  of  Alton  was  established 
January  9,  1857,  with  the  appointment 
of  Rev.  Damian  Juncker,  of  Dayton, 
Ohio,  as  its  first  Bishop.  The  diocese 
of  Quincy  became  absorbed  by  that 
of  Alton. 

Bishop-elect  Melcher  continued  his 
duties  as  priest  and  Vicar  General  in 
St.  Louis  until  his  elevation  to  the 
bishopric  of  Green  Bay,  Wis.,  July, 
1868.  He  died  in  1873. 

A  native  of  Vienna,  he  was  born  in 
the  Austrian  capital  March  19,  1806, 
ordained  a  priest  March  27,  1830,  and 
arrived  in  America  in  1843,  when  he 
at  once  set  out  for  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page  Twelve 


RT.  REV.  HENRY  DAMIAN  JUNCKER,  D.  D. 

First  Bishop  of  Alton, 
1857-1868. 


I 


''Amavit  eum  Dominus,  et  ornavit  eum, 
Stolam  gloriae  induit  eum". 

Rt.  Rev.  Henry  Damian  Juncker, 
the  prelate  chosen  to  preside  as  first 
Bishop  over  the  destinies  of  the  in- 
fant diocese  of  Alton,  was  a  man  dis- 
tinguished for  the  sanctity  of  his  life 
and  the  devotedness  to  his  mission- 
ary labors.  He  was  a  native  of  Fene- 
trange,  Diocese  of  Nancy,  Lorraine, 
born  August  22,  1809.  He  came  to 
this  country  when  young,  attached 
himself  to  the  Diocese  of  Cincinnati, 
made  his  ecclesiastical  studies  in  that 
city  and  was  raised  to  the  priesthood 
by  Bishop  Purcell  on  Passion  Sunday, 
March  16,  1834,  at  Cincinnati,  being 
the  first  priest  ordained  by  that  Pre- 
late. 

He  was  appointed  to  Holy  Trinity, 
the  first  German  church  in  Cincinnati 
and  in  1836  became  rector  of  St. 
Mary's  Canton,  attending  it  with  its 
numerous  missions,  for  ten  years, 
when  he  was  transferred  to  Urbana, 
also  a  position  of  no  little  labor.  In 
1845,  he  was  made  pastor  of  the 
Church  of  Emmanuel  at  D  a  v  t  o  n. 


Father  Juncker  had  spent  twenty- 
three  years  in  onerous  missionary 
labor  until  1857,  when  he  became 
Bishop  of  Alton.  The  consecration 
ceremonies  were  performed  by  Bishop 
Purcell  on  Sunday,  April  26,  1857,  in 
St.  Peter's  Cathedral,  Cincinnati:  The 
assistant  Prelates  were  Bishop  Henni, 
of  Milwaukee  and  Bishop  Young  of 
Erie.  There  were  also  present  Bishops 
Miles,  Lefevre,  Spalding,  De  St.  Palais 
and  Carrell. 

The  work  to  be  accomplished  by 
Bishop  Juncker  in  a  new  and  rapidly 
growing  country,  then  but  imperfectly 
supplied  with  priests,  churches  and 
schools,  was  arduous  and  difficult.  He 
spared  no  effort  to  build  up  the  church 
around  him,  and  to  supply  his  flock 
with  the  blessings  of  religion  and 
education.  His  visitations  of  the  dio- 
cese were  long  and  severe  journeys, 
and  laborious  missions  among  the 
people,  in  which  the  Bishop  performed 
every  office  of  the  priesthood. 

At  his  arrival  the  Diocese  of  Alton 
was  supplied  with  58  churches,  30 

Page  Thirteen 


stations,  28  priests  and  a  population 
of  about  50,000.  The  Bishop  soon  be- 
came convinced  that  his  diocese  was 
suffering  for  want  of  priests.  Unable 
to  satisfy  himself  in  this  country,  he 
turned  his  eyes  towards  older  lands 
in  the  hope  of  recruiting  available 
subjects.  Accordingly  he  left  late  in 
the  fall  of  1857  for  Franc<fe:  Italy, 
Germany  and  Ireland.  In  afi  these 
countries  his  efforts  were  crowned 
with  success.  Accompanied  by  many 
of  his  recruits  he  sailed  for  Havre  in 
June,  1858,  eager  to  repair  to  his  dio- 
cese. On  his  return  home  he  lost  no 
time  to  prepare  his  students  for  or- 
dination. To  the  Franciscans  he  gave 
charge  of  the  important  mission  of 
Teutopolis  in  Effingham  county. 


The  statistics  of  the  Diocese  of  Al- 
ton in  1868,  the  year  of  the  Bishop's 
death,  contain  the  proudest  eulogy  on 
Bishop  Juncker  and  his  work.  The 
number  of  priests  were  increased  to 
one  hundred,  besides  twenty-five  cleri- 
cal students,  the  churches  to  one  hun- 
dred twenty-three,  the  parochial 
schools  to  fifty-six.  He  bequeathed  to 
his  diocese  also  two  colleges  for  boys, 
six  academies  for  girls,  two  hospi- 
tals and  an  orphan  asylum.  He  also 
erected  the  present  fine  episcopal 
residence,  designed  at  the  same  time 
to  serve  as  his  Ecclesiastical  Semin- 
ary. 

After  a  long  and  severe  illness, 
Bishop  Juncker  died  at  his  residence 
in  Alton  on  the  Feast  of  the  Guardian 
Angels,  October  2,  1868. 


RT.  REV.  PETER  JOSEPH  BALTES,  D.  D. 

Second  Bishop  of  Alton, 
1870-1886. 


''Nou  est  inventus  similis   illi 
Qui  conservaret  legem  Excelsi". 

E  n  s  h  e  i  m,  in  Rhenish  Bavaria, 
claims  honor  of  being  the  birthplace 
of  the  second  Bishop  of  our  diocese, 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Peter  Joseph  Baltes,  D.D. 
There  he  first  saw  the  light  of  day 

Page  Fourteen 


on  April  7,  1824.  When  six  years  old 
he  emigrated  with  his  parents  to 
America.  The  family  settled  in  the 
State  of  New  York.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  took  private  lessons  and 
thereupon  continued  his  classical 
course  at  Holy  Cross  College,  Wor- 


cester,  Mass.  He  studied  philosophy 
and  theology  at  the  Seminary  of  St. 
Mary's  of  the  Lake,  Chicago,  whilst 
he  himself  was  instructor  in  German 
and  acted  as  prefect  of  studies.  On 
May  21,  1853,  he  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  at  the  Grand  Seminary  of 
Montreal.  His  first  mission  was 
Waterloo,  in  Monroe  county,  where 
he  remained  till  1855,  when  he  was 
ordered  to  Belleville.  Here  his  first 
care  was  to  place  the  parochial  school 
on  a  good  solid  basis.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  called  in  the  School  Sisters 
of  Notre  Dame.  His  next  attention 
was  directed  towards  building  a  new 
church.  Everything  went  seemingly 
well  in  spite  of  many  oppositions  and 
difficulties  when  owing  to  some  de- 
fects in  construction  the  grand  edifice, 
which  was  nearing  completion,  col- 
lapsed. Undaunted  and  undismayed 
by  these  reverses,  Father  Baltes  re- 
sumed work  again  only  more  com- 
plete and  secure.  The  dedication  of 
St.  Peter's — now  the  Belleville  cathe- 
dral— was  a  day  of  triumph  for  the 
indomitable  rector.  Archbishop  Ken- 
rick  of  St.  Louis,  preached  during  the 
Pontifical  Mass  celebrated  by  Bishop 
Juncker.  and  Rev.  P.  J.  Ryan,  the  late 
Archbishop  of  Philadelphia,  delivered 
in  the  evening  one  of  his  best  lec- 
tures, never  to  be  forgotten  by  those 
who  had  the  privilege  to  hear  it. 

When,  in  1866,  Bishop  Juncker 
went  to  Baltimore  to  attend  the  Sec- 
ond Plenary  Council,  his  choice  fell 
on  the  Belleville  rector  as  his  theo- 
logian. Upon  the  suggestion  of  Arch- 
bishop Purcell  of  Cincinnati,  he  was, 
on  the  way  to  Baltimore,  made  Vicar 
General  of  the  Alton  diocese.  When 
Bishop  Juncker  died,  Father  Baltes 
was  appointed  Administrator  of  the 
vacant  See.  During  his  administrator- 
ship he  obtained  from  the  Illinois 
State  Legislature  the  passage  of  a 
law  under  which  the  Catholic  congre- 
gations and  institutions  of  the  diocese 
could  be  incorporated,  entitled:  "An 
Act  to  provide  for  the  holding  of 
Roman  Catholic  Churches,  Cemeteries, 
Colleges  and  other  property."  It  was 


a  wise  and  prudent  move  on  his  part, 
as  was  repeatedly  demonstrated  soon 
after  the  law's  enactment. 

On  September  24,  1869,  Very  Rev. 
Administrator  Baltes  was  appointed 
by  Pope  Pius  IX  to  succeed  Bishop 
Juncker.  The  consecration  of  the  new 
Bishop  took  place  in  the  church  built 
by  him,  St.  Peter's  in  Belleville, 
January  23,  1870.  As  nearly  all  the 
Bishops  were  in  Rome  attending  the 
Vactican  Council,  the  difficulty  was 
to  secure  Bishops  for  the  occasion. 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Luers  of  Fort  Wayne, 
one  of  the  few  who  had  remained  at 
home,  was  the  consecrator,  assisted 
by  Bishop  Toebbe,  of  Covington — 
just  consecrated  himself — and  by  the 
Very  Rev.  P.  J.  Ryan,  Vicar  General 
and  Administra  or  of  St.  Louis. 

Father  Baltes  had  been  great  as 
pastor,  he  became  even  greater  as 
Bishop.  This  he  proved  by  submit- 
ting the  whole  diocese  in  all  its  varied 
activities  to  a  thorough  reorganiza- 
tion. He  established  regulations,  laws 
and  discipline  and  demanded  indis- 
criminately obedience  and  respect  for 
Episcopal  authority.  He  waged  an 
unrelenting  war  on  some  of  the  fore- 
most and  ablest  Catholic  newspapers 
of  the  land,  which  had  again  and 
again  assailed  his  authority  in  matters 
of  discipline.  Ambitious  in  his  work, 
he  aimed  at  finding  himself  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  finest  body  of  clergy- 
men in  the  country  and  a  time  came 
when  it  was  deemied  an  honor  to  be- 
long to  the  Diocese  of  Alton. 

After  a  life  of  great  activity  Bishop 
Baltes  died  February  15,  1886.  His 
funeral  took  place  February  19,  and 
was  attended  by  Archbishops  Feehan 
of  Chicago,  Kenrick  of  St.  Louis, 
Heiss  of  Milwaukee,  by  Bishop 
Hogan  of  Kansas  City,  by  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  priests  and  vast  crowds 
of  the  laity.  The  remains  were  de- 
posited in  the  vault  under  the  sanc- 
tuary of  the  Cathedral  beside  those 
of  his  predecessor.  Bishop  Juncker. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page  Fifteen 


REV.  HENRY  ADER. 


"I    thank    Thee,    Lord,    that    Thou    has    kept. 
The  best  in  store,  not  known  before". 

The  people  of  Carlinville,  more  par- 
ticularly those  of  St.  Joseph's  congre- 
gation, were  deeply  moved  when  it 
became  known  that  Rev.  Henry  Ader, 
for  about  ten  years  pastor  of  the 
parish,  had  died  at  St.  John's  Hospital 
of  Springfield.  This  sad  and  distress- 
ing news  cast  a  pall  of  genuine  grief 
and  gloom  over  many  hearts  and 
homes  and  March  5th,  1909,  will  long 
continue  to  be  remembered  by  them 
as  the  day  on  which  they  sustained  a 


great  loss,  because  on  this  day  death 
summoned  their  friend  and  pastor.  It 
was  a  shock  to  all,  the  announcement 
of  his  death,  that  was  somewhat  les- 
sened by  the  fact  that  Father  Ader 
had  been  known  to  be  in  a  serious 
condition  for  several  days;  his  death 
therefore,  was  not  entirely  unexpect- 
ed. It  was  hoped,  however,  till  the 
last  that  he  might  rally  again  and 
once  more  be  able  to  take  up  his 
duties  in  their  midst. 

Rev.  Ader  had  been  operated  upon 
several  times  in  the  past  for  relief 
from  an  affliction  which  he  had  long 
borne  with  Christian,  heroic  patience, 
He  was  very  anxious  and  intent  of  re- 
turning to  his  charge  and  became 
envious  of  the  days  that  his  confine- 
ment under  surgical  care  kept  him  at 


the  hospital  and  away  from  accus- 
tomed daily  work.  After  the  last  oper- 
ation had  been  performed,  the  good 
man  slowly  sank  to  his  death. 

Father  Ader  was  born  at  Borken  in 
Westphalia,  on  February  18,  1853,  and 
ordained  to  the  priesthood  at  Alalines 
in  Belgium  on  June  7,  1879.  Shortly 
after  his  ordination  the  neo-presbyter 
set  out  for  America,  arriving  at  dio- 
cesan headquarters  some  two  weeks 
later.  He  reported  ready  for  duty  and 
was  assigned  as  an  assistant  to  the 
Cathedral  priest,  a  position  which 
temporarily  so  many  young  priests 
had  to  fill — the  writer  not  excepted — 
in  order  to  first  thoroughly  acquaint 
themselves  with  the  contents  of  the 
Bishop's  "blue  book,"  namely  with  the 
laws,  rules,  regulations  and  require- 
ments which  governed  the  diocese, 
after  a  rigorous  examination  as  to 
the  knowledge  of  them,  the  successful 
post-graduate  would  receive  his  di- 
ploma in  the  shape  of  an  appointment 
proper. 

Today  we  live  under  a  somewhat 
milder  form  of  government  which  has 
supplanted  the  more  rigorous  ancient 
regime.  The  young  men  of  this  gen- 
eration do  not  know  what  it  meant  to 
us  older  ones  to  be  summoned  into 
the  presence  of  the  Chief,  whose  repu- 
tation for  severity  and  minuteness  was 
too  well  known  to  all. 

In  the  instance  of  our  subject  who 
emerged  from  the  inquisitorial  rooms 
"magna  cum  laude,"  he  received  the 
appointment  as  assistant  to  St.  Peter 
and  Paul's  parish  of  Springfield.  Later, 
the  incumbency  of  Assumption  having 
become  vacant,  Father  Ader  became 
its  pastor  for  a  number  of  years, 
1888-95,  but  was  finally  assigned  to  St. 
Alexis'  of  Beardstown,  1895-99,  as 
successor  to  Rev.  Wm.  Weigand. 
From  Beardstown  our  good  friend 
was  transferred  to  Carlinville,  suc- 
ceeding Rev.  Clement  Sommers, 
whose  impaired  health  had  enforced  a 
resignation  of  the  charge  of  St.  Jo- 
seph's. A  stately  parochial  residence 
which  was  here  constructed  under  his 


Page  Sixteen 


management,  evidences  the  active  and 
zealous  life  of  our  decedent. 

Father  Ader  was  a  man  of  fine 
scholarly  attainments,  distinguishing 
himself  especially  in  biblical  re- 
searches and  Hebrew  language.  His 
voluminous,  valuable  library  was 
second  to  none  in  the  diocese.  It  is 
regrettable  that  it  was  permitted  to  be 
sold  to  outsiders. 

The  Rev.  C.  G.  Monro,  a  Protestant 
minister  of  Carlinville,  one  who  was 
an  intimate  friend  of  the  deceased 
priest  and  associated  with  him  to  a 
great  extent  in  researches  and  studies 
paid  the  following  well-merited  tri- 
bute to  the  talented  priest's  memory: 

"As  well  as  being  a  faithful  parish 
priest,  the  late  Father  Ader  was  very 
well  educated  and  learned,  especially 
was  he  familiar  with  the  little  traveled 
ground  of  Hebraistic  literature.  His 
studies  were  not  confined  to  the  text 
only  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  he 
was  conversant  with  the  Talmud,  both 
in  the  Mishna  and  Gemmara,  both  of 
Jerusalem  and  Babylon.  To  him  the 
Halachoth,  the  Midrashin,  the  Kab- 


balet  and  the  Yalkut  Shimoni  were 
open  books,  and  his  knowledge  of 
Jewish  traditions  and  customs  was 
very  deep  and  clear.  The  late  Father 
was  a  master  of  several  languages  and 
left  behind  him  a  valuable  and  ex- 
tensive library,  which  while  contain- 
ing all  the  standard  works  on  Jewish 
literature,  is  rich  also  in  a  number  of 
early  publications  concerning  the  civ- 
ilization of  America,  long  before  the 
days  of  Columbus.  These  volumes 
contain  a  number  of  the  early  exe- 
cuted maps  of  this  continent  and  are 
therefore  very  valuable  and  rare. 

"He  was  a  man  difficult  to  know,  of 
a  sensitive  and  retiring  disposition, 
yet  when  one  did  become  acquainted 
with  him,  he  became  acquainted  with 
a  sweet,  gentle  and  charitable  nature." 

Having  done  his  duty,  he  was  one 
of  those  for  whom  the  past  was  un- 
sighed  for  and  the  future  sure. 

His  earthly  remains  were  deposited 
by  the  side  of  one  of  his  illustrious 
predecessors,  the  Rev.  Francis  Os- 
trop,  in  the  Catholic  cemetery  of 
Carlinville.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  G.  ALLEMAN,  0.  P. 


"Misericordias    tuas    Domine 
In  aeternum  cantabo". 

The  third  resident  priest  of  St. 
Peter  and  Paul's  parish  of  Collins- 
ville,  was  Father  Alleman,  a  Domini- 
can Friar  from  the  Monastery  of 
Somerset,  Ohio.  He  presided  over 
the  destinies  of  that  young  congrega- 
tion from  18S9-'60.  Prior  to  his  com- 
ing to  Collinsville  he  had  been  for 
years  an  indefatigable  missioner  in 
Lee  County,  Iowa,  especially  in  and 
around  Fort  Madison,  contemporan- 
eous with  Father  Brickwedde  of 
Quincy.  He  is  justly  styled  the 
"Apostle  of  Lee  County." 

Rev.  John  George  Alleman,  says 
Rev.  G.  J.  Zaiser,  (in  his  Diamond 
Jubilee  edition  of  St.  Joseph's  church. 
Fort  Madison,  1915,)  was  born  near 
Strassburg,  in  Alsace,  probably  in 
1806.  He  spoke  both  German  and 
French  with  equal  fluency,  hence  he 
was  sometimes  regarded  as  a  German, 


sometimes  a  Frenchman.  When  twen- 
ty-six years  old  he  entered  the  Order 
of  St.  Dominic  at  the  Convent  of  St. 
Rose,  Springfield,  Kentucky,  where 
he  was  clothed  with  the  white  and 
black  mantle  of  the  Friar  Preachers, 
and  began  his  novitiate  in  the  fall  of 
1832.  On  March  7,  1834,  the  young 
religious  made  solemn  profession  of 
vows.  As  his  course  of  divinities  had 
mostly  been  made  previous  to  his 
religious  profession,  the  young  aspi^ 
rant  to  the  priesthood  was  ordained 
by  Bishop  John  B.  P  u  r  c  e  1  1  in  St. 
John's  church,  Zanesville,  Ohio,  June 
1,  1834.  He  began  at  once  his  mis- 
sionary labors  in  the  churches  of 
Ohio,  traveling  through  its  northern 
part  as  an  itinerant  priest  until  his 
departure  for  the  farther  west  in  the 
summer  of  1840.  He  came  to  Fort 
Madison,  Sugar  Creek  and  West 
Point,  in  Lee  county,  Iowa,  where 
from  1834-37,  Father  Lefevre  had  al- 


Page  Seventeen 


ready  performed  missionary  duties, 
likewise  Father  B  r  i  c  k  w  e  d  d  e,  of 
Quincy,  from  '37-'39.  However,  Father 
Alleman  located  in  1840  at  Fort  Madi- 
son and  thus  became  the  first  resi- 
dent priest  in  that  section  of  the 
state.  He  spoke  four  modern  lan- 
guages fluently  (including  his  own 
vernacular,  German  and  French),  was 
missionary  to  the  Winnebago  Indians, 
an  intimate  friend  of  Chief  Keokuk 
and  other  Indian  chiefs.  He  intro- 
duced the  first  cultivated  grapevines 
into  Lee  County,  many  of  the  present 
orchards  in  that  vicinity  had  their 
origin  in  the  pioneer  nursery  conduc- 
ted by  him  near  his  little  church.  In 
1841-'42  he  organized  the  first  total 
abstinance  society  in  Lee  County.  He 
was  saintly,  generous,  kind-hearted 
and  charitable  to  a  fault  always 
sharing  his  last  farthing  with  any  one 
in  need,  enduring  and  zealous,  dis- 


playing a  remarkable  devotion  to  his 
calling. 

Father  Alleman  left  Fort  Madison 
in  1851  for  Rock  Island  (and  Moline, 
at  both  of  which  places  he  built  the 
first  churches)  where  he  was  pastor 
until  1859.  Leaving  Rock  Island  our 
pioneer  missioner  became  pastor  of 
Collinsville  in  our  diocese  in  1859-60. 
On  account  of  premature  age  and  in- 
firmities, both  physical  and  mental, 
brought  on  by  overwork  and  depriva- 
tions in  his  difficult  missionary  labors, 
he  entered  St.  Vincent's  Hospital  at 
St.  Louis,  November  26,  1863.  He 
suffered  from  melancholia.  His  death 
occured  July  14,  1865,  and  was  buried 
from  St.  Vincent's  chapel  in  Calvary 
cemetery,  St.  Louis.  There  beneath 
the  shadow  of  a  great  granite  cross, 
beside  archbishops  and  priests,  await- 
ing the  resurrection  morn,  slumbers 
the  dust  of  this  good  and  noble  priest. 


REV.  PAUL  ASMUTH. 


"Into  a  joyland  above  us, 
Where   there's   a   Father   to  love   us, 
Into  our  Home — Sweet  Home''. 

— Fath.   Ab.    Ryan. 

In    1902    a    newly    ordained    young 
priest    was    assigned    as    assistant    to 


St.    Mary's    of    Alton.     He    had    only 
shortly  before  received    Holy   Orders 


at  the  Jesuit  Seminary  of  Insbruck. 
It  was  Rev.  Paul  Asmuth,  a  native  of 
Eppe,  in  Westphalia.  He  was  an  ex- 
emplary young  priest,  meriting  his 
pastor's  entire  confidence  because  of 
his  conscientious  and  punctual  per- 
formance of  duties.  Pleasant  and  con- 
genial, he  soon  grew  into  favor  with 
the  parishioners.  Of  a  frail  constitu- 
tion however,  his  health  became  un- 
dermined, consumption  set  in.  Yearn- 
ing for  his  home  and  dear  ones  in  the 
Fatherland,  Father  Asmuth  rallied  his 
waning  strength  and  returned  to  the 
scenes  of  his  boyhood  days  in  the 
fall  of  1906.  For  five  years  he  tried  to 
ward  off  the  fatal  hour  which  was  to 
terminate  his  young  priest  life.  Not- 
withstanding all  the  loving  care  and 
medical  aid  that  was  so  generously 
bestowed  on  him,  Rev.  Paul  Asmuth 
sank  into  death's  embrace  on  October 
10,  1911,  at  the  parental  home  in  his 
native  land.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Eighteen 


REV.   BARTHOLOMEW   BARTELS. 


''The   bells   tolled    slowly,    sadly, 

For  a  noble  spirit  fled; 
Slowly  in  pomp  and  honor, 
They  bore  the  quiet  dead". 

A  knotty,  blunt  and  rugged  charac- 
ter was  old  Father  Bartels.  Fearless 
and  aggressive  he  hewed  his  way 
through  life.  Like  all  other  priests  of 
early  pioneer  days  he  learned  many  a 
trite  lesson  in  the  school  of  adversity, 
disappointment  and  failure.  But  he 


brooded  not  over  ineffectual  attempts 
and  futile  efforts,  but  tried  again  and 
stubbornly  forged  ahead  clearing  his 
way  of  obstacles  and  impediments. 
Neither  did  he  cater  to  the  favors  of  a 
fickle  world,  no,  once  knowing  his 
duty  he  fearlessly  went  ahead  to  ex- 
ecute it.  He  was  a  man  of  great  con- 
servative habits,  tenaciously  clinging 
to  old  traditions  and  customs.  He 
was  especially  known  for  his  financial 
ability.  Being  a  man  of  saving  habits 
Father  Bartels  accumulated  in  the 
course  of  years  a  competency  which 
with  prudent  management  and  by  safe 
investment  he  succeeded  in  multiply- 
ing. Did  he  use  the  money  thus  made 
for  himself?  Go  to  Bartelso,  a  place 
founded  by  him  and  called  after  him, 
and  ask  the  people  for  an  answer  to 
that  question,  and  they  will  point  with 
pride  to  the  beautiful  church,  the 
school,  cemetery,  etc.,  and  tell  you 
that  the  big  and  generous  heart  of 
sturdy,  stubborn  Father  Bartels  had 
provided  for  all  that  mainly  from  his 
own  resources.  Nay,  more.  Among 
all  newspapers  one  of  the  foremost 
champions  of  the  church  and  her  in- 


terests is  without  doubt  the  "Amer- 
ika"  of  St.  Louis.  That  paper  today 
rests  on  safe  and  sound  business  prin- 
ciples which  guarantee  its  life  and 
future  continuance.  It  was,  however, 
not  always  thus,  for  there  was  a  time 
when  the  "Amerika's"  financial  affairs 
were  rather  shaky  and  in  doubtful 
condition.  When  creditors  demanding 
their  money  and  no  one  in  sight  will- 
ing and  ready  to  unloosen  the  purse- 
strings  in  aid  of  this  valued  paper, 
Father  Bartels  proved  himself  the 
man  of  the  hour  by  planking  down  his 
hard  cash  and  standing  good  for  all 
obligations  contracted  by  the  paper. 
He  saved  the  "Amerika"  from  dis- 
grace and  ruin.  For  this  act  alone,  if 
for  nothing  else,  every  German  Cath- 
olic in  these  parts  of  the  country  owes 
him  a  debt  of  gratitude.  Ripe  in  years, 
living  more  than  three  score  and  ten, 
he  passed  away  at  Bartelso,  where  in 
the  shadow  of  the  cross  he  found  his 
last  resting  place  by  the  side  of  his 
faithful  friend  and  assistant,  Rev.  Cor- 
nelius Hoffman. 

Rev.  Bartholomew  Bartels  was  born 
March  10,  1823,  at  Cleve  on  the  Rhine. 
His  studies  were  made  partly  in  his 
home  city  and  partly  at  Cologne, 
Bonn  and  Muenster.  He  was  ordained 
in  the  latter  place  by  Bishop  Arnold 
Melchers,  May  29,  1847.  For  eleven 
years,  from  the  time  of  his  ordination 
till  the  year  1858,  the  young  priest 
worked  in  his  own  native  diocese.  He 
came  to  America  at  the  instance  of 
Bishop  Junker,  of  Alton,  who  as- 
signed him  as  pastor  to  Teutopolis. 
From  there  he  came  for  a  few  months 
to  St.  Boniface  of  Quincy,  then  to  St. 
Marie  in  Jasper  county,  Freeburg, 
1860,  Millstadt,  1862-65,  and  two  and 
one-half  years  to  Highland,  after 
which  he  spent  sixteen  years  as  pastor 
of  Germantown,  at  the  end  of  which  he 
retired  to  Quincy,  purchasing  a  home 
near  St.  John's  church  and  lived  the 
retired  life  for  six  years.  Bartelso, 
however,  where  his  main  interests 
were  located,  lured  him  away  from 
Quincy,  he  became  pastor  of  that 
place,  and  after  three  years,  May  4, 
1894,  peacefully  slept  away.  R.  I.  P. 

Page  Nineteen 


REV.  HENRY  BECKER,  D.  D. 


''Memento  Mori'". 


"In  manus  tuas,   Doniine,  commendo  spiritum 
meum' '. 

"Memento  Mori"  was  seldom  in  all 
its  terrible  and  awsome  significance 
more  strikingly  exemplified  than  on 
Tuesday,  September  11,  1917,  when 


the  Angel  of  Death  summoned  Rev. 
Henry  Becker,  D.  D.,  from  our  midst. 
Apparently  in  good  health  and  spirits 
had  he  assisted  less  than  two  weeks 
previous  thereto  the  bi-annual  clergy 
retreat  at  the  St.  Francis  College, 
Quincy,  Illinois.  During  recreation 
hours  the  genial  and  good-natured 
doctor  became  as  usual  the  centre 
around  which  so  many  grouped  to 
listen  to  his  inoffensive  stories  and 
harmless  aecedotes,  little  thinking 
that  for  this  universally  beloved  priest 
the  grave  was  already  yawning,  and 
that  he  was  to  be  the  first  to  descend 
into  the  tomb.  Alas!  such  was  the 


cruel  fate  that  awaited  him  shortly 
after  arriving  home  aain.  But  death 
found  him  not  unprepared.  His  thir- 
ty-eight years  of  priestly  life,  culmin- 
ated by  a  good  retreat  where  the 
Memento  Mori  subject  is  uppermost 
in  the  minds  of  all  retreatants,  had 
paved  the  way  for  the  final  call  and 
blissful  eternity  of  the  pastor  of  Pier- 
ron,  Illinois. 

Father  Becker  was  a  learned  man, 
a  sound  theologian,  a  fine  logician 
and  analyst,  who  commanded  over  ;i 
wide  range  of  knowledge  and  informa- 
tion. As  a  mathematician  he  perfected 
and  published  but  a  few  years  ago  a 
perpetual  almanac,  which  was  well 
received  and  by  competent  men  highly 
endorsed;  moreover  did  he  possess 
more  than  ordinary  astronomical 
knowledge.  Withal,  however,  he  was 
modest  and  humble  to  a  fault;  he 
eschewed  notoriety  and  but  seldom 
caused  his  opinions  to  prevail.  Being 
a  lover  of  physical  exercises  our  de- 
parted was  passionately  addicted  to 
swimming.  In  whatever  part  of  the 
world  he  visited,  there  he  gave  him- 
self over  to  swimming,  and  he  was  a 
master  in  this  acquarian  sport. 

Rev.  Henry  Becker,  D.  D.,  was 
born  July  1,  1856,  at  Salzkotten,  West- 
falia,  came  to  America  September  25, 
1875,  and  entered  the  Grand  Semin- 
ary of  Montreal.  Here  the  talented 
young  theologian  passed  a  splendid 
examination,  being  awarded  with  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  the  first 
in  the  history  of  that  institution.  On 
December  20,  1879,  he  was .  elevated 
to  the  priesthood.  Since  then  he 
worked  at  Mound  City,  Kaskaskia, 
Saline,  Hillsboro,  Vandalia,  Brighton, 
Brussels,  Meppen  and  Pierron.  R.  I. 
P. 


Page  Tu 


REV.  HENRY  BEERHORST. 


"Weary  not  through  Springtime  rain 
But  wait  till  the  Autumn  conies 
For   the    sheaves    of    golden    grain". 


Delbrueck,  near  Poderborn  in  West- 
falia,  is  the  birthplace  of  Rev.  Hy. 
Beerhorst.  There  he  was  born  Janu- 
ary 19,  1838,  was  admitted  to  Holy 
Orders  March  12,  1864,  and  appointed 
the  following  December  to  St.  Mary's 
church  of  Grand  Rapids,  (then 
still  in  the  Detroit  diocese).  In  1869 
Father  Beerhorst  was  replaced  by 
another  priest,  discontinued  his  ser- 
vices in  the  Detroit  diocese  and  gradu- 
ally landed  at  Alton  where  he  applied 
to  the  bishop  for  an  appointment.  He 
was  received  and  sent  to  Quincy, 
there  to  become  an  assistant  to  Rev. 
Schafermeyer  of  St.  Boniface  parish, 
for  the  new  arrival  was  a  near  relative 
of  the  pastor.  From  March  5,  1870, 
to  April  25,  1871,  Father  Beerhorst 
performed  good  services  at  St.  Boni- 
face. The  people  had  become  greatly 
attached  to  him  and  he  proved  a  val- 
uable asset  to  pastor  and  parish.  On 
the  latter  date,  however,  the  young 
priest  strove  to  realize  a  long  cher- 
ished a  m  b  i  t  i  o  n— he  determined  to 
embrace  monastic  life,  packed  his  few 
belongings  and  set  out  for  the  Car- 
melite Monastery  of  Scipio,  Kansas, 
where  soon  after  he  was  invested  with 
the  habit  of  that  order.  A  few  years 
later,  Father  Schafermeyer  likewise 
donned  the  Carmelite  habit  at  that 
place,  to  exchange  it  later,  however, 
for  that  of  the  Fransciscans.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Twenty-One 


REV.  PATRICK  M.  BOURKE. 


'My  soul  would  lay  her  heavy  burden  down 
And     take     with     joyfulness     the     promised 
crown.' ' 


.When    on    February    14,    1896,    the 


late  Rev.  P.  M.  Bourke  went  to  his 
eternal  reward,  a  learned  and  elo- 
quent man  passed  from  sight.  He 
was  a  well-known,  familiar  person 
throughout  the  diocese,  beloved  by 
clergy  and  laity  alike,  whole-souled 
and  generous  to  a  fault.  During  the 
early  years  of  priestly  life,  he  taught 
at  the  College  of  Ruma  where  his 
solid  learning  was  combined  with  the 
gift  of  thoroughly  imparting  knowl- 
edge to  the  student  body.  Unstinted 
praise  was  given  his  ability  by  all  who 
studied  under  him. 

Father  Bourke  was  a  native  of  Tip- 
perary,  Ireland,  where  he  was  born, 
St.  Patrick's  Day  March  17,  1839. 
When  still  a  child,  both  parents  died. 
The  orphaned  boy  was  adopted  by  an 
aunt  living  in  Limerick,  where  young 
Patrick  was  educated.  From  the  pri- 
mary school  he  was  admitted  to  the 
Jesuit  College  and  later  attended  the 
Monk's  school  (Trappists)  of  Mt. 
M  e  1  a  r  y.  At  All  Hallows  and  the 
Grand  Seminary  of  Montreal  he  stu- 
died philosophy  and  theology  and 
became  ordained  to  the  priesthood  by 
Bishop  Baltes.  When  the  Ruma  Col- 
lege had  closed  its  doors  Father  Bour- 
ke worked  in  the  capacity  of  both  as- 
sistant as  well  as  pastor  at  Grafton, 
Springfield,  Decatur,  Vandalia,  1888- 
1894  and  Shipman,  every  where  win- 
ning hosts  of  friends  and  well-wishers. 
Pursuant  to  his  wishes  his  remains 
were  interred  at  Springfield.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  PATRICK  BRADY,  SR. 


"I  desire  to  be  dissolved  and  to  be  with 
Christ,  being  by  much  the  better". — 
Phil.  1,  2-3. 

County  Cavan,  Ireland,  had  given 
the  diocese  a  prominent  priest  in  the 
person  of  Rev.  Patrick  Brady.  His 
pastoral  wisdom,  prudence  and  cau- 
tion were  productive  of  good  results. 
He  ranked  high  in  the  esteem  of  his 
fellow  priests  because  of  his  compan- 
ionable disposition  and  his  kindly 
benevolent  ways.  Born  in  1833,  our 
future  candidate  for  Holy  Orders 
made  his  studies  at  All  Hallows; 


there  he  became  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  April  17,  1865.  After  act- 
ing as  an  assistant  for  a  while  at  the 
Cathedral,  the  young  priest  was  sent 
in  similar  capacity  to  Rev.  L.  A.  Lam- 
bert (author  of  "Notes  on  Ingersoll") 
then  pastor  of  St.  Patrick's  church  of 
Cairo.  Four  years  Father  Brady 
spent  there,  three  as  assistant  and  the 
last  as  pastor,  1868-'69.  At  this  time 
the  Bishop  recalled  him  from  the 
Egyptian  Metropolis  and  made  him 
pastor  of  the  Immaculate  Conception 


Page  Twenty-Two 


church  of  Springfield.  During  Father 
Brady's  administration  the  church 
was  remodeled  and  besides  received 
an  addition  to  it  so  as  to  extend  its 
length;  moreover  he  built  a  large 
brick  school  house,  an  eloquent  monu- 
ment to  his  pastoral  zeal  and  energy. 

In  1889  Father  Brady  exchanged 
places  with  Father  Timothy  Hickey, 
of  Jacksonville,  who  in  the  meantime 


had  been  made  a  Vicar  General  by 
the  new  Bishop.  With  undiminished 
vim  and  vigor  he  continued  his  work 
at  Jacksonville  until  May  14,  1892, 
when  death  called  him  away  from  the 
scenes  of  usefulness.  His  age  was 
59  years. 

Father  Patrick  Brady's  body  was 
bedded  in  the  Jacksonville  cemetery. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  HUGH  BRADY,  JR. 


"How  gallantly,   how  nobly 

He  struggles  through  the  foam; 
And    see — in    the   far   distance 
Shine  out  the  lights  of  Home  ! ' ' 

Another  Cavan  County  man,  a 
splendid  young  priest  who  was  called 
from  hence  in  the  prime  of  manhood, 
was  Rev.  Hugh  Brady,  pastor  of  St. 
Ubaldus  church  of  New  Douglas.  His 
soul  soared  upward  to  God's  holy 
throne  on  May  17,  1916.  The  young 
priest  had  contracted  pneumonia 
which  culminated  in  death.  He  died 
well  prepared  at  the  St.  Francis  hos- 
pital of  Litchfield. 

Father  Hugh  Brady  was  born  June 
18,  1883,  in  Cavan,  Ireland,  and  at 
the  time  of  his  death  was  but  32  years 
and  11  months  old. 

He  attended  St.  Patrick's  College 
of  Carlow,  and  was  ordained  in  June, 
1908,  for  the  diocese  of  Alton.  Im- 
mediately after  his  ordination  he 
sailed  for  America  and  was  assigned 
as  an  assistant  to  St.  Joseph's  parish 
of  Springfield.  He  remained  there  for 
five  years,  winning  the  confidence  and 


love  of  the  parishioners  in  an  uncom- 
mon degree.  After  the  lapse  of  this 
period  the  young  priest  was  made  a 
pastor  and  ordered  to  New  Douglas, 
where  soon  he  endeared  himself  to 
all.  But  alas!  his  usefulness  was  to  be 
of  but  short  duration. 

With  eyes  fixed  on  eternity,  and 
recalling  to  mind  his  work  at  St. 
Joseph's  parish,  Springfield,  his  dying 
request  was  that  he  be  buried  at 
Springfield. 

The  test  of  a  priest's  worth  is  made 
apparent,  by  his  standing  with  his 
brother  priests,  hence  the  fact  that 
77  confreres  attended  Father  Brady's 
funeral,  is  eloquent  testimony  as  to 
his  sterling  character.  Rev.  P.  J. 
O'Reilly,  of  St.  Joseph's  celebrated 
the  Requiem,  assisted  by  Rev.  P.  J. 
McGiiinness  as  deacon,  and  Rev.  F. 
Shiels  as  sub-deacon.  Rev.  A.  Smith 
preached  the  sermon  which  was  an 
eloquent  tribute  to  the  priestly  virtues 
of  our  defunct.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  J.  J.  BRENNAN. 


"Arise!     This    day    shall    shine    f  prevermore ! 
To    thee    a     star     divine     on     Time's     dark 
shore' '. 

In  1858  the  coal  mine  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Bethalto,  in  Madison 
county,  had  gathered  there  a  large 
number  of  people,  many  of  whom 
were  Catholics.  To  minister  to  these 
people  became  the  duty,  in  1858,  of 
Rev.  J.  J.  Brennan,  at  the  time  an 
assistant  at  the  Alton  Cathedral.  He 
had  a  frame  church  built,  which  con- 
tinued to  be  attended  from  the  Cathe- 
dral till  1865.  During  the  years  from 
1859-'61,  Father  Brennan  was  given 


charge  of  the  parishes  of  Carlinville 
and  Jacksonville,  after  which  he  was 
appointed  pastor  of  Shawneetown. 
One  year  he  stayed  in  this  latter 
place  when  he  was  ordered  to  East 
St.  Louis  with  the  injunction  to  as- 
sume the  organization  of  St.  Patrick's 
parish  and  to  build  a  church.  Father 
Brennan  accomplished  both  but  soon 
after  severed  connection  with  the  dio- 
cese whilst  Father  O'Halloran  was  ap- 
pointed administrator  until  a  new 
pastor  was  assigned  to  St.  Patrick's 
in  1864  in  the  person  of  F.  X.  Zabell, 
D.  D. 


Page  Twenty-Three 


REV.  AUGUSTINE  FLORENT  BRICKWEDDE. 


"For  we  know  that  if  our  earthly  house 
of  this  habitation  is  dissolved  that  we  have  a 
building  of  God,  a  h  >use  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  heaven.'' — 2  Cor.  5,  1. 

The  iirst  German  CatTiolic  parish 
established  along  the  entire  course  of 
the  Mississippi  river  was  that  of  the 
"Ascension." — "Christi  Himmelfahrt'.s 
Gemeinde"  of  Quincy.  This  name  was 


given  it  by  the  small  band  of  Catholic 
settlers  who  as  early  as  1834  had  been 
gathered  into  a  congregation  by  the 
occasional  visitor.  Rev.  Father  Le- 
F  e  v  r  e,  (subsequently  Bishop  of 
Detroit.)  To  this  struggling  young 
community  which  chiefly  was  com- 
posed of  German  Catholic  emigrants, 
Rev.  August  Florent  Brickwedde  was 
appointed  by  Bishop  Rosati  of  St. 
Louis,  as  first  resident  pastor.  The 
name  "Ascension  parish"  was  retained 
until  the  present  large  brick  structure 
was  erected  in  1848,  and  the  patronal 
name  "St.  Boniface"  became  substitu- 
ted for  the  titular  "Ascension." 

Rev.  Augustine  Florent  Brickwedde 
was  born  June  24,  1805,  at  Fuerstenau 
in  the  then  kingdom  of  Hannover.  His 
father  was  a  lawyer  of  repute  who 
afterward  became  a  judge  at  Bersen- 
bruck.  Our  future  Quincy  priest  com- 
pleted his  classical  studies  at  the  Car- 
olinum  of  Osbnabruck  and  the  theo- 
logical course  at  the  universities  of 
Muenster  and  Bonn.  He  was  made 
a  sub-deacon  September  20,  1828,  a 
deacon  September  19,  1829,  and  or- 

Pnge  Twenty-Four 


dained  to  the  priesthood  in  the  Cathe- 
dral of  Hildesheim  by  Bishop  Code- 
hard  Joseph,  September  20,  1830. 

In  his  native  city  of  Fuerstenau  the 
young  priest  acted  as  Vicar  until  his 
departure  for  America  in  May,  1837. 
At  this  time  it  happened  that  quite  a 
number  of  Catholics  had  determined 
on  emigrating  to  Missouri  and  Illinois, 
which  had  become  known  for  its 
healthfulness,  plentiful  timber,  and  its 
cheap  farm  lands  He  was  induced  to 
join  some  of  these  emigrating  families, 
to  become  their  pastor  and  counsellor 
in  the  new  world.  God  inspired  him  to 
follow  them  and  to  aid  them  in  their 
spiritual  needs  and  necessities,  for  far 
or  near  there  was  no  German  priest 
to  be  found  to  minister  to  the  colony 
of  emigrants  from  the  fatherland. 
After  along  and  tedious  journey 
which  lasted  more  than  eight  weeks, 
the  young  priest  landed  in  Xew  York 
on  July  4,  1837,  and  reached  Quincy  a 
few  weeks  later.  The  hardships  of  the 
pioneer  life  may  be  imagined.  The 
climate  was  severe,  the  way  of  living 
new  and  accommodations  rather  prim- 
itive. And  yet  he  faced  these  condi- 
tions smilingly.  He  remained  in 
Quincy  where  some  of  the  early  Ger- 
man settlers  had  located  and  at  once 
set  to  work  to  build  a  small  frame 
church  with  additional  two  rooms  for 
a  residence  and  another  large  one  to 
serve  as  temporary  school.  Having 
said  Mass  in  private  dwellings  since 
August  15,  1837,  Father  Brickwedde. 
now  was  happy  to  say  Mass  and  ad- 
minister the  Sacraments  in  a  church 
building  proper,  although  humble  and 
lowly  in  appearance;  it  measured  but 
28x18  feet.  Solemn  Benediction  of  this 
first  church  of  Quincy  took  place  on 
Pentecost  Sunday,  1838.  By  this  time 
his  own  private  personal  resources 
were  well  nigh  exhausted.  Twice  he 
recrossed  the  ocean  for  the  purpose  of 
gathering  funds  for  his  parish  and 
outlying  missions  of  Sugar  Creek  and 
Ft.  Madison,  la.  Not  only  were  his 
friends  and  relatives  asked  to  con- 
tribute, nay  he  solicited  even  at  the 
courts  of  Vienna  and  Munich,  bring- 
ing with  him  not  only  the  much- 


needed  cash;  but  beautiful  sacred  ves- 
sels and  vestments,  yea  even  an  organ, 
the  gift  of  his  sister. 

Of  his  periodical  visits  to  lowan 
settlements  in  and  around  Ft.  Madi- 
son, Father  Zaiser  says  in  his  Dia- 
mond Jubilee  edition  of  St.  Joseph's 
church  of  Ft.  Madison:  "In  1837 
Father  August  Brickwedde,  the  first 
pastor  of  Quincy,  took  charge  of  the 
missions  in  this  territory  and  for  sev- 
eral years  visited  Fort  Madison,  West 
Point  and  Sugar  Creek,  to  give  the 
few  Catholics  a  chance  to  perform 
their  Easter  duties.  He  celebrated 
High  Mass  in  Fort  Madison  at  J.  H. 
Dingman's  log  cabin  in  1839.  Great 
must  have  been  the  joy  ancr  consola- 
tion of  the  good  pioneers.  From  here 
he  went  to  Sugar  Creek  settlement, 
now  St.  Paul,  where  he  held  divine 
service  in  the  new  log  barn  of  J.  H. 
Kempker,  May  13,  1833.  Sugar  Creek 
deserves  the  distinction  of  having 
erected  the  first  temple  of  God  in  Lee 
county  and  in  all  the  surrounding 
region.  In  1839  a  few  Catholic  farm- 
ers got  together,  cut  down  some  oi" 
the  tallest  trees  in  the  forest  of  Sugar 
Creek  valley  and  built  a  log  church. 
They  sent  for  Father  Brickwedde, 
who  came,  celebrated  Holy  Mass  for 
them  and  dedicated  the  little  church 
in  honor  of  St.  James. 

After  the  building  of  the  present 
church,  St.  Boniface  of  Quincy, 
Father  Brickwedde  had  to  encounter 
the  accursed  spirit  of  dissension 
which,  rent  the  parish  in  twain.  The 
seeds  of  discontent  had  been  adroitly 
sown  ly  a  discharged  teacher  and  his 
obnoxious  following.  Poisoned  shafts 
of  slander  were  levelled  against  the 
hard  working  priest,  his  priestly  char- 
acter was  attacked  and  besmirched, 
his  life  even  threatened.  In  the  midst 
of  his  trials  he  had  the  consolation 
of  being  upheld  not  only  by  the  testi- 
mony of  a  good  conscience,  but  also 
by  the  support  of  his  own  Bishop, 
Msgr.  Van  de  Velde,  who  emphatical- 
ly decided  in  his  favor  and  twice 
closed  the  church  and  placed  the 
clerical  villifiers  under  the  ban  of  ex- 
communication. Though  the  Bishop 
of  Chicago  intervened  (Quincy  since 


1844  had  come  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Bishop  of  Chicago)  yet  peace 
would  not  be  restored,  and  as  Quincy 
was  one  of  the  largest  and  oldest 
Catholic  German  congregations  and 
the  city  was  then  seriously  thought  of 
for  a  new  episcopal  see,  the  division 
of  the  people  and  the  factionalism  in 
the  parish  caused  a  great  deal  of  ad- 
verse comment,  it  hurt -the  city,  and 
ultimately  fustrated  the  erection  of 
the  new  diocese  with  Quincy  as  See. 
Father  Brickwedde  resigned  and  left 
sick  at  heart  in  March,  1849. 

To    restore    unity    and  harmony 
among  the  opposing  factions,  the  Pro- 
vincial of  the  Jesuits  of  St.  Louis,  was 
appealed  to  by  the  Bishop  of  Chicago 
"to  send  a  learned  and  prudent  priest 
to  Quincy."    But  the  Jesuit  priest  was 
but   a  short  time   there   when   opposi- 
tion  turned  also  against  him.    When 
this  was  reported  to  the  Provincial  at 
St.  Louis  he  became  indignant,  with- 
drew the  priest  and  left  the  Catholics 
of  Quincy  to  themselves.   The  cholera 
at   that   time    decimated   the   ranks   of 
the     rebels.      "When     Father     Brick- 
wedde  left    Quincy,"    says    Rev.   John 
Larmer    in    'Lives    of    Early    Catholic 
Missionaries  of   the    Nineteenth   Cen- 
tury in  Illinois'  "he  was  so  disgusted 
with  the  world  that  he  determined  to 
take  to  the  woods.    He  went  into  the 
forest    where    government    land    was 
from  12  cents  to  $1.25  per  acre,  about 
twenty-five  miles  from  St.  Louis.    He 
selected   forty   acres    for   church    pur- 
poses and   school.     Xot   a  living  soul 
was  near  the  location.    When  he  got 
settled    he    went    over  to   St.    Louis, 
found  three  poor  German  immigrants 
on  the  river  bank  not  knowing  where 
to    go    nor    what    to    do.     They    were 
humble,  God-fearing  Catholics  of  the 
innocent  peasant  type.    He  told  them 
if    they    would    come    with    him    he 
would  give  each  forty  acres  of  land 
The   only   condition   he    imposed    was 
they  were  to  help  the  next  settlers  he 
found  to  build  homes  and  get  started. 
This  was  the  way  Father  Brickwedde 
settled   Columbia  in   Monroe   Co.,   111. 
from  St.  Libory  whither  he  was  sent 
as  pastor  after  leaving  Quincy.    When 
the   good   old   priest    related   his   first 

Page  Twenty-Five 


start  in  getting  settlers,  says  Father 
Larmer,  tears  came  to  his  eyes.  Co- 
lumbia soon  grew  into  prominence 
and  counted  within  a  few  years  numer- 
ous families. 

At  St.  Libory  or  Mud  Creek  as  it 
was  then  generally  known  it  was  his 
habit,  though  now  advanced  in  years, 
to  drive  to  and  from  St.  Louis  in  search 
of  necessary  supplies.  In  the  middle 
of  November,  1865,  as  he  was  on  his 
way  home  from  St.  Louis,  he  felt  un- 
well and  was  compelled  to  stop  at 
Belleville,  where  after  two  days'  of 
sickness  he  died  on  the  21st  of 
November  of  the  same  year,  1865. 

At  first  funeral  service  was  held  in 
the  Belleville  church,  attended  by  the 
people  and  clergy  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, all  eager  to  cast  their  eyes  on 
the  noted  victim  of  Quincy  parish 
persecution  and  pray  for  the  repose 


of  his  soul.  On  the  next  day  the  same 
was  repeated  at  St.  Libory.  Father 
Bartels  sang  the  Requiem  Mass  and 
Father  Baltes,  (soon  to  be  the  second 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese),  gave  the  Ab- 
solution. The  remains  of  good  Father 
Brickwedde  were  interred  at  Mud 
Creek. 

The  defunct,  says  Father  Larmer, 
was  a  man  of  great  height  and  pos- 
sessed a  rather  homely  yet  benevo- 
lent countenance.  As  a  business  man, 
and  cautious  financier,  he  would  be  an 
example  even  in  these  days  of  careful 
calculation.  This  venerable  servant 
of  God  was  moreover  a  man  of  learn- 
ing allied  with  solid  piety.  He  was 
liberal  in  all  his  views  and  practical 
in  all  the  affairs  of  life.  He  died  as 
he  had  lived,  a  true  servant  of  his 
Divine  Master.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  THEODORE  BRUENER. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a 
man  of  great  mental  caliber  and  rare 
intellectual  attainments  one  who  com- 


manded attention  wherever  met  or 
seen.  Tall  of  stature,  robust  and  vig- 
orous, good  natured  and  smiling,  such 
were  the  traits  in  the  general  makeup 
of  Rev.  Theodore  Bruener  who  on 


January  1,  1870  assumed  the  pastoral 
reins  of  St.  M'ary's  congregation  of 
Quincy.  The  church  had  just  been 
built  and  dedicated  to  Mary  Im- 
maculate, the  first  Holy  Mass  had 
been  said  therein  three  weeks  previ- 
ously and  the  congregation  as  such 
had  not  as  yet  fully  emerged  out  of 
that  formative  stage  into  a  compact 
body  which  is  the  essential  requisite 
of  any  stable,  active  and  healthy  or- 
ganization. Rev.  Bruener  seemed  to 
be  the  providential  man  to  accomplish 
and  perfect  what  so  far  had  been  left 
incomplete.  It  was  reserved  for  him  to 
place  St.  Mary's  on  solid  basis  and  to 
dictate  a  policy  which,  if  promptly 
carried  out,  was  to  establish  and  in- 
sure the  congregation's  stability  and 
permanence.  He  at  once  set  out  to 
inaugurate  and  introduce  these  neces- 
sary elements,  he  organized  men  and 
women,  old  and  young,  into  societies 
and  what  was  most  important  of  all 
he  started  a  parochial  school.  At 
what  heroic  sacrifices  and  manifold 
personal  inconveniences  this  was  ac- 
complished, he  himself  tells  us  in  his 
inestimable  work  entitled,  "Kirchen- 
geschichte  Quincy's"  in  the  chapter 
exclusively  devoted  to  the  interest  of 


Page  Twenty-Six 


St.  Mary's.  To  these  interesting  pages 
all  may  re,fer  who  would  read  a  detailed 
account  of  the  history  of  St.  Mary's. 

Father  Bruener  was  eminently  a 
great  organizer;  from  practical  prior 
experience  he  knew  the  needs  and 
wants  of  society,  the  dangers  which 
beset  it  and  the  means  to  safeguard  it. 
To  procure  the  latter  he  left  no  stone 
unturned,  but  worked  and  talked  and 
preached  on  all  convenient  occasions, 
in  season  and  out  of  season.  Success 
soon  crowned  his  efforts.  Some  of 
the  societies  which  flourish  today 
after  a  half  century's  existence,  owe 
their  beginning  to  the  endeavors  ot 
St.  Mary's  first  pastor.  And  who  can 
gauge  the  amount  of  good  they  have 
done  since  in  helping  to  build  up  and 
strengthen  the  congregation?  Xot 
only  that,  but  they  were  indirectly 
the  means  that  parish  work  preceede-1 
on  systematic  lines  of  action,  they 
proved  a  vast  help  and  great  relief  to 
the  oftentimes  overburdened  priest. 

If  Father  Bruener  proved  himself  a 
great  organizer,  he  was  still  greater 
as  educator.  For  this  latter  profes- 
sion he  had  been  especially  trained  in 
Germany,  where  for  a  number  of  years 
he  had  been  successfully  active  as 
teacher.  His  was  the  rare  gift  to 
communicate  and  to  impart,  to  model 
and  to  train.  Possessed  of  splendid 
talents  and  natural  aptitude  for  teach- 
ing and  being  generously  equipped 
with  broad  and  liberal  training  which 
was  solid  and  thorough  in  all  its  es- 
sentials, Father  Bruener  soon  distin- 
guished himself  as  a  noted  educator 
and  pedagogue  not  only  locally  at  St. 
Mary's,  where  'under  his  direction 
the  parochial  school  attained  prom- 
inence and  distinction,  nay,  his  emi- 
nent qualification  in  the  field  of  edu- 
cation induced  in  1873  and  again  the 
following  year  the  Most  Rev.  Arch- 
bishop of  Milwaukee  to  extend  a 
most  urgent  invitation  to  our  St. 
Mary's  pastor  to  assume  the  reins  of 
rectorship  of  the  Normal  School  of 
St.  Francis,  Wis.,  known  as  the  "Pio 
Nono"  College.  So  insistent  were 
these  repeated  calls  that  Father  Brue- 
ner finally  yielded  and  accepted  the 
proposed  position,  much  to  the  grief 


and    sorrow    of   his    friends   and    par- 
ishioners of  St.  Mary's. 

In  this  connection  it  is  of  interest 
to  state  that  later  Rev.  Bruener  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  a  predecessor  by 
joining  a  religious  order,  thus  his 
successor  at  the  "Pio  Nono"  college 
likewise  embraced  the  religious  life 
when  ready  to  resign  his  position  as 
rector  of  that  institution.  It  was  the 
Rev.  Wm.  Neu  who  came  to  the  Alton 
diocese  from  Wisconsin  in  exchange 
of  Rev.  Bruener.  Assigned  to  the 
parish  of  Bunker  Hill  this  eminent 
churchman  performed  excellent  work 
whilst  there  and  gained  in  marvellous 
degree  the  esteem  of  Catholic  and 
Protestant  alike.  No  priest  ever  en- 
joyed such  well  merited  popularity 
during  the  few  years  stay  with  us, 
than  -lid  Rev.  Wm.  Neu  at  Bunker 
Hill.  He  finally  joined  the  Benedic- 
tine Abbey  of  Atchinson,  Kansas,  in 
September,  1889,  and  was  known  from 
thenceforth  as  P.»  Longin,  O.  S.  B. 
He  died  there  a  few  years  ago,  sin- 
cerely mourned  by  m  any.  (See 
sketch.) 

Father  Bruener  was  undoubtedly 
much  stimulated  in  his  chosen  pro- 
fession by  the  words  of  Holy  Writ: 
"They  that  instruct  many  unto  justice 
shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  all  etern- 
ity." 

His  were  four  years  of  incessant 
hard  work,  of  planting,  pruning  and 
sowing  whilst  ooirs,  owing  to  his 
labors,  are  years  of  reaping. 

A  worthy  counterpart  of  our  sub- 
ject, one  of  striking  similarity  of 
thought  and  action  as  well  as  of  phys- 
ical appearance,  robust  and  rugged 
was  the  Rev.  Fr.  Wm.  Faerber  of  St. 
Mary's  parish,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  Whilst 
the  former  distinguished  himself  as 
historian  and  pedagogue  the  latter  be- 
came widely  known  as  popular  Cate- 
chist  in  which  capacity  he  published 
"Faerber's  Catechism,"  a  work  known 
in  all  Catholic  schools  throughout  the 
land. 

Father  Bruener's  name  will  forever 
continue  to  live  in  the  grateful  hearts 
of  the  good  people  of  St.  Mary's. 

Born  May  27,  1836,  he  was  ordained 

Page  Twenty-Seven 


to  the  priesthood  September  3,  1859, 
at  Muenster  and  acted  as  "Schulvikar" 
at  Wadersloh  from  the  time  of  his 
ordination  till  he  set  out  for  America, 
late  in  1867,  at  the  invitation  of  Bishop 
D.  Junker  of  Alton.  He  was  sent 
at  once  to  Quincy  to  become  the  first 
pastor  of  St.  Mary's  parish  January 
1. 


This  congregation  had  been  organ- 
ized and  the  church  built  under  the 
supervision  and  by  the  efforts  of  good 
Father  Reinhardt,  who  now  by  the 
advent  of  Rev.  Bruener,  re-assumed 
his  work  at  St.  Boniface,  to  be  sent, 
however,  shortly  after  to  a  different 
place.  From  1874-1879  our  former 
pastor  remained  at  the  head  of  the 
St.  Francis  institution  from  which  at 
the  instance  of  his  diocesan  Bishop 
he  returned  to  become  pastor  of  St. 
Boniface  parish  of  Quincy.  Here 
Father  Bruener  again  performed  good, 
lasting  parochial  work  till  November 


9,  1887.  Foremost  among  his  under- 
takings ranks  during  this  time  the 
publication  by  him  of  that  important 
work  on  the  "History  of  the  Catholic 
Church  in  Quincy,"  a  work  which  re- 
ceived unstinted  praise  even  at  Rome 
from  such  eminent  men  as  Cardinal 
Simeoni,  Cardinal  Melchers  and  Msgr. 
De  Waal.  Following  a  call  from 
heaven  our  veteran  worker  bid  fare- 
well to  his  friends  and  former  asso- 
ciates of  the  clergy,  and  joined  the 
Franciscan  Order  at  Teutopolis,  to 
be  known  from  thence  forth  as  P. 
Leo.  What  good  he  accomplished  as 
an  humble  follower  of  the  great  Sera- 
phic Saint  till  the  hour  of  his  death. 
May  15,  1898,  and  his  previous  God- 
like deeds  are  chronicled  6n  the  pages 
of  the  book  of  life. 

He  died  at  San  Francisco,  Califor- 
nia, where  he  found  his  last  resting 
place.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  ALBERT  BUSCH. 


"Then   with    slow,    reverent    step 

And  beating  heart, 
From   out   the   joyous   days 
Thou   must   depart". 

Amid  the  reposefulness  and  quietude 
of  rural  surroundings  lies  the  small 
"God's  acre"  belonging  to  the  parish 
of  Lively  Grove,  in  Washington 
county.  Here  on  this  consecrated  plot 
of  ground  we  come  to  a  grave,  the 
tenant  of  which  is,  as  the  modest 
headstone  announces,  Rev.  Father 
Albert  Busch,  a  priest  carried  away 
by  inexorable  death  in  the  prime  and 
vigor  of  young  manhood,  for  he  had 
scarcely  attained  the  age  of  35  years, 
when  his  record  came  to  a  sudden 
close.  The  cradle  of  our  defunct 
young  priest  stood  at  Xeheim,  near 
Hoexter  in  Westfalia,  where  he  was 
born  February  26,  1844.  After  com- 
pleting the  high  school  studies  in  his 
native  town,  young  Albert  Busch 
came  to  America  in  1866,  entered  St. 
Francis  seminary  near  Milwaukee 
shortly  after,  and  was  elevated  to  the 
priesthood  by  Bishop  Henni,  January 
29,  1868,  for  the  bishopric  of  Alton. 
With  great  vim  and  vigor  the  neo- 
presbyter  embraced  his  holy  vocation. 

Page  Twenty-Eight 


His  first  appointment  was  to  St. 
Alexis'  of  Beardstown,  March  18, 
1868.  Here  he  built  a  front  addition 
to  the  old  church,  purchased  the 
present  parsonage  and  lots  adjoining 
for  the  sum  of  $2,100  and  erected  a 
small  school  house.  In  1873  our  sub- 
ject was  assigned  to  Marine  where  he 
stayed  but  one  year  till  1874,  when 
the  Bishop  appointed  him  to  Lively 
Grove.  Here  he  worked  successfully 
for  five  years  till  March  18,  1879,  on 
which  date  he  was  summoned  to  his 
eternal  reward. 

In  the  premature  death  of  Father 
Busch  the  diocese  lost  a  promising 
young  man,  who  during  the  eleven 
years  of  priestly  career  had  worked 
enthusiastically  for  the  welfare  of 
those  committed  to  his  sacred  charge. 
His  life  though  brief  was  active, 
meagre  in  years  but  fruitful  in  service. 
Far  better  to  go  before  God  after 
few  years  with  full  hands  than  after 
many  years  empty-handed. 

May  the  memory  of  his  good  and 
noble  life  prove  an  inspiration  unto 
others  to  imitate.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  D.  BYRNE. 


Consumatum   est ! 

In  the  "aul  lang  syne"  in  days  long 
ago  as  early  as  1847,  St.  Mary's 
parish  of  Mt.  Sterling  had  not  only  a 
church  but  even  a  resident  pastor. 
He  was  Father  James  Gallagher. 
Several  priests  had  succeeded  him 
after  his  departure  from  there  in 
rapid  succession,  till  Father  Byrne 
was  appointed,  who  remained  at  the 
head  of  the  parish  from  1856-'59,  dur- 


ing which  time  he  looked  after  the 
spiritual  interests  of  St.  Alexis'  parish 
of  Beardstown.  From  Mt.  Sterling 
he  was  appointed  to  Marshall  and 
Paris,  where  he  became  the  successor 
of  old  Father  Tom  Ryan  in  1860-'61. 
Little  is  known  of  his  subsequent 
history  except  that  from  September, 
1870  he  had  charge  for  one-half  year 
of  St.  Mary's  congregation  of  Ed- 
wardsville.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   MICHAEL  CARROLL. 


"The  links  are  broken;   all  is  past; 
The  last  farewell  when  spoken 
Is  the  last". 

One  of  the  hardy  and  rugged  old 
characters  of  former  pioneer  days  was 
Rev.  Michael  Carroll,  second  pastor 
of  Alton,  1841-1857.  He  was  a  native 


of  County  Limerick,  Ireland,  and  was 
sent  to  replace  Rev.  George  A.  Ham- 
ilton, first  pastor  of  St.  Mathew's 
church,  in  1841  (compare  sketch). 
When  appointed  to  the  Mission  of 
Alton  it  embraced  Madison  and  the 
surrounding  counties.  In  1845  he  said 
first  Mass  at  Collinsville.  Father  Car- 
roll purchased  a  lot  on  Third  and 
Alby  streets,  Alton,  and  at  once  com- 
menced the  erection  of  a  stone  church 
which  was  completed  in  1843  and  ded- 


icated to  divine  service  by  Bishop  Le 
Febre,  of  Detroit.  It  bore  the  patronal 
name  of  St.  Mathew,  same  as  its  pre- 
decessor under  Father  Hamilton.  This 
church  burned  down  in  1852.  Three 
years  the  Catholics  of  Alton  wor- 
shipped in  a  hall  on  State  street.  In 
1855  Bishop  O'Regan,  third  Bishop  of 
Chicago,  permitted  Father  Carroll  to 
erect  another  church.  He  built  the 
present  Cathedral  church.  Rev.  M. 
Prendergast  was  Father  Carroll's  as- 
sistant in  1853. 

In  a  diary  kept  by  Bishop  Quarter, 
of  Chicago,  there  is  repeated  mention 
made  of  Father  Carroll.  He  assisted 
at  old  St.  Mary's.  Later  on  under 
Bishop  Van  de  Velde,  he  conducted  a 
conference  at  Alton.  On  June  15,  1844, 
he  went  to  Joliet  to  meet  Bishop 
Quarter.  On  the  17th  the  party  com- 
prised of  the  Bishop,  Fathers  St.  Pa- 
lais, De  Pontavic  and  Carroll  set  out 
in  a  carriage  for  Ottawa.  The  jour- 
ney was  full  of  hardships  as  the  roads 
were  bad,  and  twice  the  Bishop  and 
priests  had  to  apply  rails  to  lift  the 
carriage  from  the  quagmires  in  the 
sloughs  through  which  they  were 
compelled  to  pass.  They  arrived  at 
Ottawa  the  following  day. 

The  first  stone  church  which  Father 
Carroll  erected  in  1855  is  still  the 
handsome  Cathedral  of  the  Alton  dio- 
cese today.  True,  generous  sums  of 
money  have  been  expended  from  time 
to  time  for  repairs  and  embellish- 
ments. Its  ultimate  completion  was 
reserved  for  Bishop  Juncker.  The 
Cathedral  was  solemnly  consecrated 

Page  Tieenly-Nine 


by  Archbishop  Kenrick,  of  St.  Louis, 
May  15,  1859.  Bishops  Luers,  of  Fort 
Wayne,  Duggan,  of  Chicago,  and 
Whelan,  of  Nashville,  being  present. 

The  construction  of  this  substantial 
church,  truly  magnificent  for  the  time 
of  its  erection,  proclaims  to  coming 
generations  the  zeal  and  noble  ambi- 
tion manifested  by  this  sturdy  pioneer 
priest  in  the  cause  of  religion. 

In  1857,  when  Bishop  Juncker  was 
about  to  take  possession  of  the  new 
.see  of  Alton,  Father  Carroll  returned 
to  his  Bishop  in  Chicago.  He  was 
sent  to  Elgin,  where  he  lived  and  died 
a  few  years  afterward.  His  remains 
were  buried  in  the  old  St.  Mary's 
church  in  that  city. 

Father  Michael  Carroll  was  a  man 
of  tall  stature  and  iron  frame,  pos- 
sessing a  commanding  appearance. 
When  building  the  present  Cathedral 
church,  he  is  known  to  have  per- 


formed hard  manual  labor  like  a  com- 
mon workman.  After  Mass  he  would 
slip  into  his  overalls  and  begin  mix- 
ing mortar  or  wheeling  building  stone 
to  the  masons. 

Few  of  the  towns  now  in  Madison, 
Jersey  and  Montgomery  counties  are 
there  which  in  their  incipiency  did 
not  enjoy  the  priestly  visits  of  Father 
Carroll,  and  what  he  gathered  in  his 
missionary  wanderings — says  Father 
Larmer — was  put  in  to  build  the  Ca- 
thedral of  Alton.  When  Father  Car- 
roll left  Alton  in  1857,  he  made  a  trip 
to  Ireland  with  Rev.  Patrick  O'Brien, 
of  St.  Louis,  and  on  his  return  was 
appointed  to  Lake  Forest,  near  Wau- 
kegan,  and  shortly  after  to  Elgin. 
Whilst  visiting  a  neighboring  priest 
who  was  sick,  a  night  call  came  from 
a  distance.  The  priest  could  not  go, 
so  Father  Carroll  attended  in  a  storm, 
the  sick  person,  caught  a  malignant 
fever  and  soon  thereafter  died. 


REV.  JAMES   A.   CASSIDY. 


"I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  fin- 
ished my  course,  I  have  kept  my  faith.  For 
the  rest  there  is  laid  up  for  all  a  crown  of 
justice,  which  the  Lord,  the  just  judge,  will 
render  to  me  at  that  day." — 2  Tim.  4,  6. 


Among  the  large  class  of  Ordinandi 
which  presented  itself  for  Holy  Or- 
ders in  the  Seminary  chapel  of  Mon- 


treal a  few  days  before  Christmas  in 
1882,  was  our  subject,  Rev.  James  A. 
Cassidy.  Born  at  Canajoharie,  in  New 
York  state,  in  1854,  he  finished  his 
preparatory  studies  in  his  native  state, 
after  which  he  pursued  his  theological 
course  with  the  Sulpician  Fathers  of 
Montreal.  Well  does  the  writer  of 
these^  lines  recall  the  days  when 
Father  Cassidy,  together  with  the  late 
Father  Joseph  P'innigan  and  Father 
James  Gough  (Belleville)  was  elevated 
to  the  priesthood.  A  jovial,  genial, 
good-natured  young  man  was  Father 
Cassidy  when  a  student  of  the  Semi- 
nary, and  these  traits  he  retained  dur- 
ing his  subsequent  priestly  career. 
Wherever  seen  during  recess  hours, 
he  was  the  centre  of  an  animated 
gathering.  All  enjoyed  his  company 
and  friendship,  and  as  priest  he  be- 
came equally  popular  and  well  liked 
by  all  who  came  in  close  contact  with 
him.  Hence  his  success  in  founding 
and  developing  St.  Patrick's  congre- 
gation of  Alton.  Being  for  a  short 
while  an  assistant  at  the  Cathedral,  he 
was  ordered  to  inaugurate  prelim- 


Page  Thirty 


inary  work  for  starting  St.  Patrick's. 
There  were  but  eighty  families  to 
commence  -with,  but  young  Father 
Cassidy  was  by  no  means  discouraged 
in  his  undertakings.  He  succeeded  ad- 
mirably, for  he  built  church  and  par- 
sonage in  1883,  and  three  years  later, 
in  1886,  added  a  parochial  school  to 


his  now  flourishing  parish.  In  March, 
1887,  Father  Cassidy  was  transferred 
from  Alton  to  Murrayville,  where  four 
years  later  he  died,  February  4,  1890. 
Father  Cassidy  was  a  great  promoter 
of  manly  sports,  hence  an  ardent  lover 
of  base  ball.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   BERNARD   CLAUS. 


"Sweet   Heaven    my   hope   points   up    to   thee 
When  whelming  woes   sweep   over  me!" 

On  the  night  of  May  19,  1903,  a 
terrible  catastrophe  occured  at  the 
parochial  residence  of  Columbia,  111., 
casting  the  pall  of  genuine  mourning 


not  over  the  parish  alone,  but  over 
the  entire  diocese  as  well.  On  that 
fatal  night,  the  pastor  of  Columbia 
parish,  Rev.  Bernard  Claus,  testing 
doors  and  windows  ere  retiring  for 
the  night,  as  usually  he  did,  was  sud- 
denly seized  with  an  attack  of  diz- 
ziness, collapsed  and  expired.  A  heart 
stroke  had  snuffed  out  his  priestly 
life  instanter.  In  the  act  of  attending 
to  the  locking  of  doors  and  windows, 
however,  he  generally  carried  a  kero- 
sene lamp  in  his  hand.  So  this  fatal 
evening.  Whilst  the  stricken  priest 
sank  lifeless  to  the  floor,  the  burning 
kerosene  lamp  exploded  and  flaming 
oil  encircling  the  body  partly  in- 
cinerating it.  A  thrill  of  horror  went 


forth  when  next  morning  the  pastor's 
sad  and  tragic  death  was  made  known 
to  his  faithful  flock  and  the  numerous 
friends  both  in  the  Belleville  and 
Alton  dioceses,  where  for  many  years 
he  had  worked  so  well  and  left  such 
honorable  record  in  every  place  and 
parish  which  had  witnessed  his  un- 
selfish labors  and  ministrations. 

Born  April  3,  1842,  at  Niederovschel 
in  Saxony,  Father  Claus  studied 
classics  at  Heiligenstadt,  philosophy 
and  partly  theology  at  Muenster  and 
Bonn.  He  came  to  America  in  June, 
1868,  and  finished  his  studies  at  Cin- 
cinnati, where  Archbishop  John  B. 
Purcell,  D.  D.,  ordained  him  to  the 
priesthood  September  24,  1870.  He 
was  stationed  as  assistant  at  St.  Boni- 
face of  Quincy,  December  6,  1870 — 
February  14,  1872,  a  few  months  at 
Edwardsville,  with  Staunton  and  New 
Douglas  as  out-missions;  at  Mt.  Ster- 
ling from  1872-73;  at  Taylorville  from 
1873-77.  During  this  period  he  erected 
a  comfortable  parochial  residence  at 
Morrisonville,  and  moving  thither 
became  the  first  resident  pastor  of  St. 
Maurice  congregation.  From  here  he 
was  assigned  to  parishes  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  state  and  hence  be- 
came incorporated  into  the  new  dio- 
cese of  Belleville  when  the  latter  was 
erected  in  1888.  There  he  was  active 
at  Madonnaville  December  5,  1872 — 
January,  1882;  at  Paderborn  from 
January,  1882-1892,  when  he  became 
pastor  of  Columbia  and  met  his  tragic 
death  May  19,  1903.  He  was  buried 
in  the  cemetery  of  that  parish.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Thirty-One 


REV.    MICHAEL    CLIFFORD. 


"I  have   come   to   take   thee  home 
Said  the  veiled  guest; 
The   great  journey  of  life  is  done* 
I   will    take   thee    into   rest". 

It  was  a  large  class  that  prepared 
for  ordination  which  was  to  take  place 
at  All  Hallows  Seminary,  April  17, 
1863.  Among  these  young  aspirants 
who  went  through  College  and  Semi- 


nary life  together,  were  some  whose 
future  years  were  to  be  spent  in  the 
Mission  field  of  one  and  the  same  dio- 
cese. In  this  particular  class  for  in- 
stance, were  a  number  destined  for 
Alton,  where  the  field  was  extensive, 
laborers  however  few.  Whilst  on  a 
visit  to  Ireland,  Bishop  Juncker  had 
aroused  a  missionary  spirit  in  the 
young  clerics  with  the  result  that  a 
goodly  number  had  applied  to  be  ad- 
mitted into  his  diocese,  and  good  and 
faithful  workers  they  all  eventually 
proved  to  be.  They  were  men  of  the 
old  school,  blunt  and  plain,  true  and 
honest,  worthy  and  zealous.  There 
was,  among  others,  Michael  Clifford, 
who  emerged  from  that  class  of  '63  to 
swell  the  ranks  of  the  Alton  clergy. 
He  had  accumulated  a  store  of  merits 
when  death  summoned  him  in  the 
springtime  of  1907,  and  he  was  ush- 
ered into  the  presence  of  his  Maker. 

Page  Thirty-Two 


This  native  of  Limerick  has  left  his 
distinctive  mark  on  every  parish  over 
which  he  was  called  to  preside  and  his 
memory  is  held  by  the  people  in  last- 
ing benediction.  And  many  were  the 
parishes  whom  he  served  as  pastor. 
Many  a  heart  was  sorely  afflicted 
when  it  was  learned  that  Father  Clif- 
ford had  died.  He  had  been  truly  a 
father  and  friend  to  all  parishioners. 
His  first  assignment  after  ordination 
was  to  the  parish  of  Winchester  in 
1863-'66.  Next  we  learn  that  he  is  di- 
recting the  destinies  of  Virden's  con- 
gregation from  1868-'69,  whereupon 
Bunker  Hill  claimed  his  ministrations 
from  1869-72.  Mt.  Sterling  at  this 
time  needed  a  strong  man  to  erect  a 
residence,  school  building  and  a  new 
church.  The  choice  fell  upon  Father 
Clifford  and  he  proved  to  be  the  right 
man.  Twenty-four  years  of  faithful, 
fruitful  service  characterized  his  stay 
at  Mt.  Sterling,  when  in  1896.  he  was 
entrusted  with  the  pastorate  of  St.  Jo- 
seph's of  Springfield,  where  he  labored 
in  his  own  quiet,  unobtrusive  way  till 
early  in  1907,  when  God  called  his 
pious,  faithful  servant  from  hence. 

The  Springfield  deanery  in  its  quar- 
terly session  on  June  27,  of  that  year, 
passed  the  following  set  of  pertinent 
resolutions  which  admirably  portray 
the  priestly  life  and  character  of  de- 
ceased. They  were  as  follows: 

"Whereas,  It  has  pleased  Almighty 
God  to  take  to  Himself  the  soul  of 
Rev.  Michael  Clifford,  for  eleven  years 
pastor  of  St.  Joseph's  church,  Spring- 
field, 111.,  and  one  of  our  most  efficient 
and  venerable  reverend  Fathers,  and 

Whereas,  His  consistent  conduct  in 
the  priesthood  for  forty-five  years 
was  an  exemplification  in  the  highest 
degree  of  the  teachings  of  our  Lord 
and  his  Church,  and 

Whereas,  During  life  he  was  a  light 
to  many  in  the  way  of  salvation,  both 
by  his  prayers  and  cheerful  person- 
ality, and 

Whereas,  Knowing,  as  we  do,  ru- 
mors, to  the  contrary,  notwithstand- 


ing,  that  he  died  possessed  of  little  of 
this  world's  goods,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  we,  his  co-laborers 
in  the  priesthood,  while  deploring-  our 
loss  in  his  death,  take  this  method  of 
showing  to  the  world  our  heart-born 
appreciation  of  his  many  priestly  vir- 
tues, and  further  be  it 

Resolved,  That  in  view  of  the  many 
places  over  which  he  had  jurisdiction, 
his  care  in  financial  affairs  in  the 
building  of  schools,  convents  and 
churches,  merited  for  him  the  implicit 
undying  gratitude  of  his  people,  and 


confidence   of  his  superiors,  and   fur- 
ther 

Resolved,  That  out  of  respect  for 
his  memory  this  Quarterly  Confer- 
ence of  the  Springfield  deanery  now 
in  session  be  adjourned." 

Whoever  has  known  the  deceased 
and  witnessed  his  past  saintly,  priestly 
life,  will  say  "Amen"  to  this  set  of 
resolutions  which  so  appropriately 
memorialize  his  priestly  life. 

May  Father  Michael  Clifford  rest  in 
peace. 


REV.  T.  J.  CLIFFORD. 


''Life  is  only  bright  when  it  proceedeth 
Toward  a   truer,   deeper  Life  above". 

Whilst  pastor  of  Carrollton  from 
1865-'66,  the  cholera  broke  fiercely  out 
in  the  community.  During  this  ordeal 
good  Father  Clifford  edified  all  by  his 
courage  and  heroism,  attending  the 


sick  and  burying  the  dead.  Finally, 
he  himself,  became  a  victim  of  the 
dread  disease  and  was  prepared  for 
death.  However,  Le  recovered  for  the 
time  being  but  died  a  few  months 
afterward.  He  was  buried  at  Alton. 
R.  I.  P. 


RT.  REV.  JOHN  HENRY  CLUEVER,  D.  D. 


"Let    peace,    O    Lord!      Thy    peace,    O    God, 

Upon  our  souls  descend, 
From  midnight  fears  and  perils,  Thou 
Our  trembling  hearts  defend". 

A  priest  of  eminent  learning,  pres- 
tige and  subsequent  unusual  distinc- 
tion, was  the  olim  pastor  of  Bunker 
Hill,  Rev.  J.  H.  Cluever,  D.  D.  Our 
doubly  titled  subject  was  born  March 
8,  1845,  in  the  Diocese  of  Paderborn, 
Germany,  and  came  to  this  country 
in  1871.  In  that  same  year  he  was 
raised  to  the  priesthood.  He  acted  as 
pastor  of  the  Bunker  Hill  parish  from 
1872-74,  after  which  the  Doctor  left 
for  the  East,  affiliating  with  the  dio- 
cese of  Albany,  N.  Y.  He  became 


pastor  of  St.  Lawrence  congregation 
of  Troy,  X.  Y.,  and  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  diocesan  school  board. 
His  eminent  services  which  he  ren- 
dered the  diocese  caused  him  to  be 
elevated  a  Monsignor.  For  many 
years,  however,  our  Rt.  Rev.  gentle- 
man had  conceived  the  idea  of  ulti- 
mately embracing  religious  life.  This 
long-harbored  intention  assumed 
tangible  form  in  1892,  in  which  year 
the  Monsignor  bid  farewell  to  diocese, 
parish  and  friends,  sailed  for  South 
Africa  and  there  joined  the  colony  of 
Trappists. 


REV.  TERENCE  COWLEY. 


How  sweet  Thy  service  and  how  safe  Thy  fold. 

Born  in  Waterford,  Ireland,  he  was 

ordained  at  the  Alton    Cathedral 


August  1.  1865,  and  died  January  12, 
1881.  He  is  a  quondam  Alton  cathe- 
dral pastor. 


Page  Thirty-Three 


REV.   JOHN   CROWE. 


"Life's  vesper  bells  are  ringing 

In  the  temple  of  my  heart, 
And  yon  sunset  sure  is   singing : 
'Nunc   Dimittis — Now   Depart'." 

— Father    Abr.    Ryan. 

Sad  and  solemn  was  the  tolling  of 
the  bells  of  Our  Savior's  Church,  of 
Jacksonville,  on  the  morning  of  March 
10,  1916.  They  announced  to  a  grief- 
stricken  congregation  that  the  last 
rites  were  about  to  be  performed  over 
the  remains  of  their  late  pastor,  Rev. 
John  Crowe,  who  had  departed  this 
life  a  few  days  previous  thereto,  viz: 
on  March  7.  The  obsequies  gathered 
a  vast  concourse  of  people,  irrespec- 
tive of  creed  or  nationality,  within  the 
sacred  walls  of  the  handsome  church, 
all  eager  to  pay  a  last  tribute  of  love 
and  respect  to  the  popular  priest  and 
citizen,  for  Father  Crowe  was  re- 
spected and  admired  by  the  whole 
city  where  he  had  labored  faithfully 
and  well  since  1892,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed an  irremovable  rector  by  the 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese.  Father  Crowe 
had  died  from  the  effects  of  an  opera- 
tion performed  about  two  weeks  be- 
fore his  death. 

The  sermon  was  preached  by  the 
Very  Rev.  J.  P.  O'Mahoney,  President 
of  St.  Viator's  College  at  Kankakee, 
111.,  and  was  a  splendid  .tribute  to  the 
life  and  works  of  the  dead  priest.  He 
drew  a  beautiful  pen-picture  of  the 
Catholic  home  in  which  the  pre- 
destined youth  drank  in  the  inspira- 
tion and  high  ideals  that  later  on 
made  him  the  champion  of  right,  the 
expounder  of  truth,  the  enemy  of  vice 
and  the  admiration  of  all  who  knew 
him. 

Defunct  attained  an  age  of  64  years 
and  was  born  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.  Father 
Crowe  made  his  ecclesiastical  studies 
at  the  Grand  Seminary  of  Montreal, 
where  he  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood after  a  thorough  training  under 
the  competent  guidance  of  the  Sul- 
pician  Fathers.  His  first  charge  was 
at  Flora,  where  he  remained  but  six 
weeks,  when  he  was  promoted  to  Mat- 
toon.  Here  he  worked  with  great  de- 
votion for  fifteen  years  and  erected 
the  present  beautiful  church.  Realiz- 

Page  Thirty-Four 


ing  Father  Crowe's  worth  and  ability, 
the  Bishop  sent  him  as  pastor  to  the 
important  charge  of  Jacksonville  tas 
successor  to  the  Very  Rev.  Timothy 
Hicky,  V.  G.,  who  had  assumed  the 
pastorate  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion Parish  of  Springfield. 

The  history  of  the  church  under  the 
rectorship  of  Father  Crowe  has  been 
one  of  indefatigable  labor  on  the 
rector's  part  and  of  a  steady  expan- 
sion on  the  part  of  the  parish  under 
his  direction,  in  all  lines  of  Catholic 
work,  spiritual,  financial  and  intellec- 
tual. 

The  Jacksonville  Journal  paid  the 
following  editorial  tribute  to  Father 
Crowe: 

"The  passing  of  Very  Rev.  Dean  J. 
W.  Crowe  removes  from  Jacksonville 
a  very  influential  citizen.  Father 
Crowe  has  been  a  resident  of  Jackson- 
ville twenty-three  years  and  his  record 
has  been  such  as  to  prove  beyond 
question  his  ability  as  an  organizer. 
Proof  of  this  ability  has  appeared  in 
various  'ines  and  during  his  pastorate 
the  Church  of  Our  Savior  has  de- 
veloped in  a  material  way.  Father 
Crowe  was  especially  interested  in 
educational  work  and  because  of  his 
leadership  Routt  college  stands  in 
Jacksonville  today.  Father  Crowe  was 
a  man  of  wide  learning  and  liberal  ed- 
ucation. A  well  known  Jacksonville 
man  and  a  non-Catholic,  who  accom- 
panied him  on  a  trip  occupying  sev- 
eral days,  said  recently  that  the  de- 
ceased rector  was  one  of  the  most  de- 
lightful men  he  hac1  ever  known  so- 
cially and  in  a  conversational  way. 
Father  Crowe  was  not  especially  dip- 
lomatic in  his  manner  or  in  his  ways — 
in  fact  he  was  especially  outspoken 
and  had  the  habit  of  going  directly 
after  anything  that  he  wanted.  Oppo- 
sition to  him  or  disagreement  with 
him  did  not  mean  offense,  and  he  had 
an  admiration  for  men  and  women 
with  convictions  and  willing  to  fight 
for  those  convictions.  During  his  years 
of  residence  here.  Father  Crowe  be- 


came  a  large  force  in  the  community 
and  while  his  parishioners  and  friends 
found  much  in  him  to  admire,  even 
those  who  disagreed  with  him  had 
great  respect  for  his  knowledge  and 


influence.     His  going  marks   the   end 
of  a  very  forceful  life." 

One  brother,  Father  Donat  Crowe, 
late  pastor  of  Kewanee,  died  in  Rome, 
Italy  in  1912.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   THOMAS   CUSACK. 

(From  the  New  World.) 


The  Rev.  Father  Cusack  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  the  Alton  diocese. 
Born  in  Kilmainam,  County  Cavan, 
Ireland,  he  emigrated  with  a  brother 
to  Indian  Creek,  Mo.,  some  30  miles 
west  of  Quincy,  where  they  purchased 
and  worked  a  farm.  In  course  of  time 
Mr.  Cusack  repaired  to  the  Seminary 
of  the  Barrens  and  was  ordained 
August  15,  1842  by  Bishop  Kenrick 
for  the  diocese  of  St.  Louis.  In  the 
same  year  he  was  sent  to  Salt  River. 
In  1845  he  was  given  charge  of  Indian 
Creek.  In  1850  he  was  found  sta- 
tioned at  Arrow  Rock,  a  locality  not 
known  to  modern  geographers.  In 

1851  he    was    stationed    at    Marshall, 
Saline    County.     In    the    year    of    the 
Jubilee,  whilst  crossing  the  Salt  River 
with  Bishop  Kenrick,  the  stream  hav- 
ing   unexpectedly    risen,    the  distin- 
guished prelate    lost    his    equilibrium 
and  owed  his  life  to  the  skill  of  Father 
Cusack  as  a  swimmer.    Afterwards  he 
had    charge    of    Jefferson    City,    and 

1852  of    Lexington.     In    the    list    of 
Missionaries   kept   in   the   archives  of 
the    Archdiocese    of   St.    Louis,   he    is 
described    in    1854  as    missionary   "in 
via    ferrata    vaporea" — t  h  e    Railroad 
Apostle.    And  so  he  was,  not  only  in 
Missouri,  but  also  in  Illinois,  whither 
he    repaired    in    the    following    year, 
with  headquarters  at  London  City.    In 
1856    he    was    stationed    at    Decatur, 


from  thence  following  the  men  build- 
ing the  railroads,  administering  to 
their  spiritual  wants  and  striving  to 
control  their  excesses.  His  means  of 
conveyance  was  a  "white  mule,"  still 
famous  wherever  he  visited.  He  built 
several  churches,  all  of  a  simple  and 
primitive  style,  neither  Greek,  Roman- 
esque nor  Gothic,  known  to  the 
priests  as  the  "Cusack  style,"  a  good 
sort  of  style  notwithstanding  their 
plainness,  in  which  as  good  prayers 
could  be  said  as  in  St.  Peter's  of 
Rome. 

Father  Cusack  left  Decatur  for 
Shelbyville  where  he  was  stationed  in 
1864,  if  not  before.  In  1865  he  left 
for  Bloomfield,  Adams  County,  where 
he  remained  till  1875  when  he  went 
to  Grafton.  His  next  and  last  mis- 
sion was  Shipman,  where  he  moved 
to  in  1876.  He  died  at  the  Mullanphy 
Hospital,  St.  Louis  on  February  28, 
1887  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  about  87 
years.  He  was  burried  at  Indian 
Creek,  Mo.,  where  he  had  labored  as 
a  former  priest  in  the  midst  of  rela- 
tives. 

Father  Cusack  was  a  hard-working, 
painstaking  priest.  He  was  plain- 
spoken  and  had  no  flattery  for  any 
one.  He  made  the  youngsters  know 
their  catechism. 

A  prayer  for  the  repose  of  the  soul 
of  honest  old  Father  Tom. 


REV.  PATRICK  DEE. 


"Every   word   man's   lips    have    uttered 
Echoes  in  God's  skies". 


His 


nary,  Milwaukee,  Dec.  21,  1872. 
death  occurred  Oct.  16,  1886. 
Our  subject  was  born  in  Ireland  and.         Father  P.  Dee  acted  for  two  years 
ordained  a  priest  at  St.  Francis  Semi-      as  pastor  of  the  Alton  cathedral. 


Page  Thirty-Five 


REV.  FRANCIS  DERWIN. 


"Every  throb  of  my  own  heart's  beating 
Tells  of  the  flight  of  Time". 

Obviously  our  subject  must  be 
numbered  with  the  oldest  missionary 
priests  of  the  state.  As  early  as  1845 
Bishop  Rosatti  of  St.  Louis,  assigned 
him  to  New  Dublin,  near  Galena, 
where  he  said  Mass  in  a  log  house 
16x24  and  7  logs  high,  which  had  been 
constructed  in  1836.  The  only  men- 
tion made  of  Father  Derwin  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  the  present  Alton 
diocese,  is  that  in  1846  he  was  ap- 


pointed pastor  of  St.  Lawrence  church 
(now  St.  Peter's)  of  Quincy.  He  suc- 
ceeded its  first  pastor  and  founder. 
Father  Tucker,  and  remained  in 
charge  of  that  parish  from  1846 — 
Dec.  1849.  His  administration  there 
was  uneventful,  the  parish  making  but 
little  progress  during  his  incumbency. 
After  his  recall  from  Quincy  Father 
Derwin  labored  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  state,  and  there  he  died.  R.  I. 
P. 


REV.  PATRICK   R.  DUCEY. 


"Godliness  is  profitable  to  all  things  hav- 
ing promise  of  the  life  that  now  is  and  of 
that  which  is  to  come".  1  Tim.  4,  8. 

On  December  17,  1908,  there  expired 
at  Boerne,  Texas,  whither  he  had 
gone  for  the  recuperation  of  impaired 
health,  the  Rev.  Patrick  R.  Ducey, 


pastor  of  St.  Mary's  congregation  of 
Marshall,  111.  Funeral  services  were 
held  the  following  Tuesday  at  Mar- 
shall. A  large  concourse  of  people 
was  present  to  attest  their  respect  to 
him  who  had  labored  so  earnestly  and 
incessantly  among  them  for  eight 
years  in  the  cause  which  he  repre- 
sented. This  outpouring  of  the  people 
manifested  the  high  regard  in  which 
he  was  held  by  the  community, 
whether  Catholic  or  Protestant.  Fol- 

Page  Thirty-Six 


lowing  the  Solemn  Requiem  services 
the  'body  was  conveyed  to  Springfield 
for  interment.  Forty  of  his  confreres 
were  present  at  these  services.  He 
was  lowered  to  his  last  resting  place 
in  Calvary  cemetery  amongst  mem- 
bers of  the  Immaculate  Conception 
church  as  he  looked  upon  that  congre- 
gation as  a  second  home,  for  there 
he  had  spent  the  first  years  of  his 
young  priestly  life  as  an  assistant  to 
its  venerable  pastor.  Father  Ducey 
was  a  man  of  honor  and  uprightness, 
a  priest  greatly  devoted  to  God's 
service  an^d  the  salvation  of  souls. 
Wherever  he  was  his  works  remain 
after  him  for  good.  After  laboring 
at  Springfield  for  some  three  years  in 
the  capacity  of  assistant  priest,  he 
was  appointed  to  organize  and  build 
a  chinch  at  Effingham,  the  Sacred 
Heart  church.  He  did  so  and  suc- 
ceeded notwithstanding  that  difficul- 
ties were  great  and  means  very  small. 
Leaving  the  young  parish  in  flourish- 
ing condition,  Father  Ducey  assumed 
charge  of  the  congregation  of  Mar- 
shall, where,  during  the  subsequent 
years  of  his  pastorate  he  performed 
good  work,  always  active  in  behalf 
of  the  material  and  spiritual  welfare 
of  his  people.  When  dying  his  last 
words  were:  "May  God's  holy  will  be 
done." 

Father  P.  R.  Ducey,  an  only  son  of 
his  parents,  was  born  at  Lowell, 
Mass.,  in  1862,  attended  the  local  St. 
Patrick's  parochial  schools  and  then 


entered  upon  the  courses  of  Classics, 
Philosophy  and  Theology  at  St.  Bon- 
aventure's  College  of  Allegheny,  Pa., 
where  on  June  20,  1889,  on  the  Feast 
of  Corpus  Christie,  he  was  ordained 


by   Bishop  Stephen   Ryan  of  Buffalo, 
to  the  priesthood. 

May  Father  Ducey,  whose  untime- 
ly going  is  mourned  by  a  host  of 
friends,  rest  in  God's  holy  peace. 


FATHER  DURBIN. 


"Time,   like  an  ever-rolling  stream 
Bears  all  its  sons  away". 

A  venerable  missionary  priest,  who 
occasionally  exercised  his  sacred  func- 
tions at  places  now  comprised  within 
the  Alton  diocese,  was  Father  Durbin. 
In  1850,  his  residence  or  rather  stop- 
ping place,  was  at  St.  Vincent's  in 
Union  County,  Ky.,  twenty-four  miles 
from  Shawneetown.  The  circuit  of 
this  intrepid  early  crusader  included 
southeastern  and  southwestern  Ken- 
tucky, a  great  part  of  Tennessee,  In- 
diana, and  all  Southern  Illinois,  called 
Egypt.  From  his  Kentucky  home  he 
visited  on  his  periodical  tours,  St. 
Bonaventure  parish  of  St.  Elmo  (now 
connected  with  Altamont).  From  St. 
Elmo  he  would  proceed  further  north 
to  Christian  county,  where  near  Tay- 
lorville  there  is  still  to  this  day  quite 
a  colony  of  Kentucklans,  among  whom 


we  meet  with  numerous  Durbins.  By 
his  occasional  visits  he  would  enable 
these  people  to  receive  the  Sacra- 
ments, have  their  children  christened 
and  their  marriages  solemnized  or  val- 
idated. The  old  settlers  are  talking 
of  Father  Durbin's  visits  to  this  day. 

Father  Durbin  was  an  American  of 
Maryland  stock,  and  had  imbibed  the 
traditions  of  the  persecutions  of  that 
colony  against  the  Catholics.  This 
filled  him  with  ardor  for  his  religion, 
even  to  rigorism,  for  he  had  been  in- 
structed by  Bishops  Flaget  and  David, 
first  Bishops  of  Kentucky,  they  being 
exiles  from  France  on  account  of  their 
faith.  They  imbued  the  future  mis- 
sionaries in  their  seminary  with  a 
rigid  and  self-sacrificing  spirit. 

Father  Durbin  died  at  Bardstown, 
Ky.,  being  at  the  time  of  death  over 
ninety  years  of  age.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   HENRY   EGGENSTEIN. 


"Gone  home!      He  lingers  here  no  longer, 
A    restless    pilgrim,    walking    painfully 

With       homesick      longing      daily      growing 

stronger, 
And  yearning  vision  of  the  joys  to  be". 

On  January  21,  1916,  the  angel  of 
death  beckoned  Reverend  Henry  Eg- 
genstein,  ''pastor  emeritus"  of  St. 
Elizabeth's  congregation  of  Marine, 
to  follow  and  the  priestly  soul  winged 
its  flight  to  the  great  white  throne  of 
the  Master  there  to  receive  eternal 
reward  for  work  well  and  nobly  done. 
He  breathed  forth  his  soul  into  the 
hands  of  the  Creator  at  St.  Vincent's 
Hospital  of  Taylorville,  where  he  had 
acted  as  chaplain  ever  since  his  retire- 
ment from  his  beloved  St.  Elizabeth's 
of  Marine,  in  the  fall  of  1913.  Ad- 
vanced in  years  his  weakened  and 
feeble  body  was  not  able  to  withstand 
the  inroads  which  a  complication  of 
diseases  had  caused  therein  and  when 
finally  dropsy  made  its  appearance  the 


stricken  man  knew  that  the  end  was 
not  far  off.  Hence  he  set  his  house 
in  order  so  that  when  the  fatal  sum- 
mons came  to  him  he  was  fully  pre- 
pared to  answer  same.  Having  re- 
ceived most  fervently  the  last  sacra- 
ments of  his  Church  two  days  before 
death  and  being  fully  resigned  to  the 
inscrutable  designs  of  God's  provi- 
dence, our  venerable  friend  lapsed  into 
a  coma  from  which  he  was  not  to 
awaken  ere  coming  to  the  shores  of 
eternity.  Calmly,  without  the  least 
of  struggle  he  passed  away,  his  sun 
had  set  forever,  Father  Eggenstein 
was  no  more,  and  another  void  and 
vacancy  within  the  ranks  of  the  faith- 
ful workers  of  the  Alton  Diocese  had 
been  made.  The  ranks  of  older  clergy 
have  alarmingly  been  decimated 
within  recent  past  years,  but  few 
of  the  old  stock  are  left  to  tell  the 
tale  of  former-day  experiences  of 

Page  Thirty-Sevfn 


hardships  and  self-denials  which  plen- 
tifully awaited  them  in  newly  started 
parishes  in  city  and  country  alike. 

Father  Eggenstein  was  born  July 
10,  1843  at  Drensteinfurt,  Germany. 
He  studied  in  the  local  schools,  thence 
attended  the  gymnasium  of  Muenster 
after  which  he  entered  as  alumnus  the 
American  College  of  St.  Maurice  (sub- 
urban to  Muenster.)  There  he  was 
raised  to  the  priesthood  on  May  8, 
1869.  In  autumn  of  same  year,  Octo- 
ber 2,  he  landed  on  the  American 
shores,  setting  out  at  once  for  Alton 
to  report  "ready  for  duty"  to  Bishop 
Baltes.  He  was  sent  to  Springfield  as 
assistant  to  the  Pastor  of  St.  Peter 


and  Paul's.  His  stay  here,  however, 
was  to  be  of  but  short  duration,  as 
he  was  after  a  few  months  appointed 
assistant  priest  to  Father  Schaefer- 
meyer  at  St.  Boniface  church  of 
Quincy.  A  vacancy  occuring  at  St. 
Joseph's  church  of  Carlinville,  Father 
Eggenstein  became  pastor  of  that 
congregation  a  few  months  later, 
working  hard  for  its  material  and 
spiritual  uplift  till  September,  1876, 
when  he  received  his  ultimate  appoint- 
ment to  St.  Elizabeth's  parish  of 
Marine  and  where  he  remained  until 
forced  by  age  and  infirmities  to  seek 
the  hospitable  asylum  of  St.  Vincent's 
Hospital  of  Taylorville,  in  the  fall 
of  1913. 


St.  Elizabeth's  parish  in  its  com- 
pleteness, church,  school  and  resi- 
dence, is,  with  exception  of  the  latter, 
the  result  of  Fr.  Eggenstein's  efforts, 
it's  a  bijou  among  the  country  par- 
ishes of  the  diocese,  proclaiming  elo- 
quenitly  the  priestly  spirit  of  deceased 
which  wrought  these  telling  results. 
He  likewise  built  the  priest's  residence 
at  Saline. 

Our  defunct  was  a  man  of  abstem- 
ious, frugal  habits,  who  required  but 
little  for  his  living.  Hardly  ever  did 
he  leave  his  habitat  at  Marine.  In 


the  summer  1886  he  paid  a  few 
month's  visit  to  his  boyhood  home 
and  purchased  while  abroad  a  number 
of  fine  vestments  for  his  church.  He 
seemed  the  picture  of  contentment 
when  ambulating  up  and  down  his 
pretty  garden  walk  and  puffing  at  his 
long  German  pipe,  dispelling  thereby 
whatever  care  or  worry  might  hover 
on  his  mind.  In  the  performance  of 
priestly  duties,  administration  of 
Sacraments,  visits  to  the  sick  and 
catechetical  instructions  at  school,  he 
was  exemplary  and  exact;  in  his  deal- 


Thirty-Eight 


ings  with  the  outside  world  indulgent 
and  generous,  charitable  to  the  poor 
and  needy.  He  was  a  man  of  large 
stocky  built,  measuring  more  than  six 
feet  in  height.  Having  never  cared  for 
worldly  wealth  and  lucre,  he  died  as 


he  had  lived,  a  poor  man.  May  heaven 
be  his  reward.  His  mortal  remains 
were  laid  to  rest  at  Marine,  where 
funeral  obsequies  were  held  Wednes- 
day, January  26,  1916.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOSEPH  EILER. 


"The  journey   is  very  weary 
And  He  only  can  give  me  rest". 

Born  at  Metz,  France,  (now  Ger- 
many), he  came  over  to  America  in 
1857,  was  ordained  in  1869  and  ap- 
pointed an  assistant  to  the  Alton  Ca- 
thedral. He  remained,  however,  but  a 


few  months  in  Alton  when  he  left  for 
the  Cleveland  diocese.  There  he  was 
assigned  in  similar  capacity  to  the 
Church  of  the  Assumption,  in  Cleve- 
land. All  further  particulars  are  lack- 
ing. 


REV.  JOHN   NEPOMUCEN   ENZELBERGER. 


"You  shall  reap  in  joy  the  harvest, 
You  have  sown  today  in  tears'*. 

A  trenchant  and  forceful  writer,  who 
fearlessly  championed  the  cause  of  the 
church,  wa3  Rev.  John  N.  Enzel- 
berger.  For  many  years  his  weekly 


glosseries  on  religio-political  topics 
appeared  in  the  "Herold  des  Glau- 
bens"  of  St.  Louis.  His  name  became 
widely  known  and  his  sayings  exten- 
sively quoted  by  the  press.  He  was  an 
avowed  and  outspoken  antagonist  of 
all  modernistic  tendencies  and  other 
outgrowths  which  threatened  to  dam- 
age the  church.  He  was  honest  and 
sincere  in  his  denunciations  although 
probably  not  always  prudent  in  ex- 
pressing them.  The  greatest  service. 


however,  which  forever  will  redound 
to  his  merit  is  the  compilation  of  the 
third  catalogue  of  the  Catholic  Ger- 
man clergy  and  of  the  German  par- 
ishes of  the  United  States,  known  as 
"Schematismus  der  Katholischen 
Geistlichkeit  deutscher  Zunge  in  den 
Vereinigten  Staaten  Amerikas"  in 
1892.  This  work  is  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  history  of  the  Catholic  Church 
in  the  United  States  for  the  use  of 
present  and  future  generations  and  its 
great  value  has  received  universal 
recognition  and  unstinted  praise.  Fr. 
Enzelberger  would  deserve  to  be  par- 
alleled with  that  well-known  German 
writer,  Alban  Stolz.  He  served  our 
diocese  at  Vandalia  from  July  12, 
1875-March  22,  1876. 

Rev.  John  Nepomucen  Enzelberger 
was  born  March  30,  1852,  at  Weizen- 
kirchen,  in  upper  Austria;  studied  at 
Linz,  Austria,  and  at  St.  Francis,  Wis- 
consin; was  ordained  by  Bishop  P.  J. 
Baltes,  March  19,  1875;  substituted  at 
vSt.  Joseph's  parish,  Cairo,  April  10 
till  June  23,  1875;  substituted  at  Du 
Quoin,  from  June  29  till  July  12, 
1875;  was  rector  of  Vandalia  until 
March  22,  1876;  then  rector  of  Piop- 
olis  until  February,  1902;  after  which 
he  acted  as  rector  of  Germantown 
rntil  his  death,  November  2,  1907.  He 
is  buried  at  Germantown.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Th'rty-Nine 


REV.  JOSEPH  FINNIGAN. 


"Thou    shalt    exchange    the    midnight   for   the 

morning 
And  thy  fair  home  above". 

A  full  measure  of  sincerest  sym- 
pathy was  poured  forth  from  every 
priest's  heart  when  it  became  known 
that  their  cherished  confrere  and 
companion,  Rev.  Joseph  Finnigan  had 
been  stricken  with  a  fatal  affliction 
against  which  medical  science  for  ages 
had  battled  in  vain,  viz:  cancer  of  the 
throat.  This  dreadful  disease  claimed 
our  subject  in  the  ripeness  of  his  con- 
secrated career.  Weeks  and  months 
of  intensest  suffering  were  his  portion 
ere  death  relieved  him  of  the  terrible 
affliction. 

Born  in  1857  at  Providence,  R.  I., 
young  Finnigan  was  sent  in  early 
youth  to  Montreal,  there  to  study 
Classics,  Philosophy  and  Theology, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Sulpician 
Fathers.  And  nobly  he  acquitted  him- 
self of  his  studies,  bearing  away  sev- 
eral college  prizes  at  the  annual  com- 
mencement exercises.  He  was  very 
popular  among  his  fellow  students 
and  the  Sulpician  Fathers  in  college 
and  seminary  had  high  regard  for  his 
talents,  manliness  and  high  sense  of 
honor.  And  yet,  as  college  student, 


he  was  full  of  harmless  mischief  and 
law-breaking  propensities.  Had  some 
little  prank  occurred  whose  source 
the  good  Father  Rector  could  not  at 
once  fathom,  young  Finnigan  was 
looked  upon  as  the  culprit,  and  with 
threatening  finger  of  indulgent  repri- 
mand he  would  be  addressed:  "Ah, 
Monsieur  Finnigan,  c'est  vous  le  cou- 
pable."  And,  sure  enough,  our  sub- 
ject had  usually  been  at  the  bottom 
of  it.  After  a  brilliant  course  of  studies, 
Father  Finnigan  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  a  few  days  before  Christ- 
mas, 1882,  in  the  Grand  Seminary 
chapel  by  Archbishop  Edward  Fabre 
of  Montreal.  After  reporting  ready 
for  duty  to  Bishop  Baltes,  he  was  sent 
as  pastor  to  Kahokia,  after  which  he 
successfully  filled  positions  at  Virden, 
Auburn,  Charleston,  Grafton,  1895-98, 
Jacksonville,  Springfield  and  Dalton 
City.  Whilst  in  the  latter  place,  he 
was  stricken  with  that  dreadful  mal- 
ady, cancer  of  the  throat,  which  con- 
signed him  to  an  early  grave.  He  bore 
his  sickness  with  heroic  fortitude  and 
great  Christian  resignation  and  ex- 
pired February  9,  1908.  A  memento 
for  Father  Finnigan.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  F.  J.   FISCHER. 


"Pass  on,  pass  on,  poor  Spirit, 
For  heaven  is  yours  at  last; 
In  that  one  minute's  anguish 

Four   thousand  years  have  passed". 

We  know  that  prior  to  the  erection 
of  the  Bishopric  of  Chicago,  in  1843, 
the  eastern  part  of  Illinois  was  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Bishop  of 
Vincennes,  Msgr.  Brute,  whilst  the 
western  portion  was  ruled  over  by 
Bishop  Rosatti,  of  St.  Louis.  And 
even  after  the  formation  of  the  for- 
mer diocese  priests  from  Vincennes 
continued  to  look  after  the  spiritual 
interests  of  many  parishes,  such  as 
Ste  Marie.  Paris,  Teutopolis  and 
others.  Among  the  priests  of  Teutopo- 
lis who  originally  hailed  from  Vincen- 
nes was  Rev.  F.  J.  Fischer,  who  in 
1847,  had  put  up  the  first  bric'k  build- 
ing at  Ste  Marie.  He  administered  its 


affairs  for  several  months  in 
1850  after  the  leave-taking  of  Father 
Kuenster. 

Before  coming  to  Teutopolis,  Fr. 
Fischer  had  been  rector  of  Piquet's 
Settlement,  (Ste  Marie),  and  previous 
to  that  for  several  years  an  assistant 
to  Rev.  St.  Palais  (who  a  few  years 
later  became  Bishop  of  Vincennes.) 
When  Chicago's  first  priest,  Rev.  St. 
Cyr,  was  compelled  by  age  and  in- 
firmity to  relinquish  his  pastoral  duties 
of  old  St.  Mary's  of  Chicago,  and 
retire  to  St.  Louis  where  he  died,  Rev. 
St.  Palais  succeeded  him  in  1837, 
having  Father  Fischer  as  assistant. 
These  were  the  only  priests  in  Chi- 
cago when  Bishop  Quarter  arrived 
there  May  5,  1844.  In  August,  1844, 
our  subject  was  recalled  by  Bishop 


Page  Forty- 


Brute     back     to    Vincennes.     A    few 
years   later,   in    1850,   he   presided   for 


several    months    over    the    parish    of 
Teutopolis.    R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOSEPH  H.  FORTMANN. 


'  'In    Te    Domine    speravi,    Non    confundar    in 
aeternum' '. 

A  Catholic  center  in  the  diocese  of 
Alton,  is  Highland.  The  first  settlers 
from  1831-1842,  were  nearly  all  Cath- 
olics, at  least  in  name,  though  without 
strong  affiliations  to  the  church.  The 
years  1840  and  1841  brought  more 
than  one  hundred  from  the  Grand 
Duchy  of  Baden,  besides  a  number  of 
Swiss  and  a  few  Bavarian  Catholics. 
Occasionally,  probably  twice  a  year, 
a  priest  was  sent  them  from  St.  Louis. 
More  frequent  became  the  visits 
since  Shoal  Creek  (Germantown),  had 
a  resident  priest  in  the  person  of  Rev. 
Joseph  H.  Fortmann,  ordained  at 
the  Barrens,  November  1,  1837,  and 
since  then  pastor  of  Apple  Creek, 
Mo.  He  did  his  best  to  persuade  the 
Catholics  to  build  a  church  and  in 
this  he  succeeded.  The  cornerstone 
was  placed  in  1844  on  the  first  day  of 
May.  The  first  Mass  was  celebrated 
in  this  church  of  Highland  in  1846  by 
Rev.  Kuenster,  pastor  of  Teutopolis. 
Father  Fortmann  was  recalled  from 
Shoal  Creek  by  Bishop  Rosatti  in 


1847  and  sent  as  pastor  to  St.  Joseph's 
church  of  Grosse  Point  (Wilmette, 
Chicago),  where  he  stayed  from  1847- 
'53.  During  his  stay  at  Grosse  Point 
he  erected  St.  Peter's  church  at  Xiles 
Center.  Next  we  find  him  busily  en- 
gaged at  St.  Mary's  of  the  Woods  at 
Highland  Park  (Chicago),  after  which 
he  was  appointed  pastor  of  St.  Peter's 
church  at  Teutopolis.  Here  he  worked 
against  many  odds  and  difficulties 
from  August  5,  1857-January,  1858. 
He  had  made  arrangements  for  the 
construction  of  a  new  parochial  resi- 
dence, for  which  purpose  he  had  col- 
lected the  sum  of  $723.  Before  he 
witnessed  the  realization  of  his  plans, 
however,  he  was  sent  to  Peoria  to 
assume  charge  of  St.  Joseph's  church 
of  that  city.  Three  weeks  after  his 
advent  to  Peoria,  Father  Joseph  H. 
Fortmann  died. 

His  successor  in  Teutopolis  was 
Rev.  B.  Bartels,  the  last  secular  priest 
of  that  parish,  which  now  went  over 
into  the  hands  of  the  Franciscan 
Fathers,  who  had  arrived  from  Ger- 
many. May  God  rest  his  soul. 


REV.    THOMAS    FRAUENHOFER. 


"No  true  crown  of  honor  can  be  given, 
Till  we  place  it  on  a  funeral  bier". 

A  great  worker  was  Rev.  Thomas 
Frauenhofer,  Teutopolis,  Green  Creek 
and  Effingham,  must  forever  be  grate- 
ful to  his  untiring  efforts  in  their  be- 
half. Early  in  1857,  February  12,  he 
was  appointed  pastor  of  St.  Peter's 
congregation  of  Teutopolis.  After  re- 
siding there  for  some  month's,  he 
moved  to  Green  Creek,  becoming  its 
first  resident  pastor.  How  exact  and 
faithfully  he  discharged  his  sacred  du- 
ties may  be  learned  from  his  diary 
and  publication  book  which  are  still 
extant  in  that  parish.  They  are,  in 
composition,  very  neat,  though  rather 
exhaustive.  Whilst  pastor  of  Green 
Creek,  Father  Frauenhofer  looked 
after  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Cath- 


olic people  in  and  around  Effingham, 
where  in  1856  a  log  church  had  been 
built.  To  this  little  log  shanty  he 
journeyed  every  other  Sunday  to  say 
Holy  Mass  for  the  few  scattered 
Catholic  people  thereby  laying  the 
foundation  for  the  present  strong 
parish.  At  times  he  visited  Decatur 
to  minister  to  the  German  Catholics 
there.  When,  in  1858,  the  Franciscan 
Fathers  assumed  charge  of  Teu- 
topolis and  subsequently  of  Green 
Creek  he  took  charge  of  lohnsburg 
parish,  (Rockford),  from  Dec.  1858- 
Dec.  1860.  After  this  Father  Frauen- 
hofer became  stationed  at  Lourdes 
(now  Peoria  diocese),  and  later  on 
left  for  the  Dubuque  diocese.  In  1867 
he  was  in  charge  of  Sherrilsmount, 
Iowa,  and  after  that  at  Petersburg. 

Page  Forty-One 


Rev.  Thomas  Frauenhofer  was  a 
native  of  Bavaria,  born  Dec.  6,  1817, 
at  Pfeffenhausen,  in  the  Diocese  of 
Regensburg.  On  July  1,  1844,  he  was 
ordained  to  the  priesthood  and  exer- 
cised his  sacerdotal  functions  for 
eight  years  in  his  native  diocese  until 
May  19,  1852,  when  he  came  to  Amer- 


ica to  affiliate  with  the  diocese  of  Chi- 
cago. Rumor  has  it  that  Father 
Frauenhofer  died  at  the  Trappist 
monasteo'  near  Dubuque,  in  the  year 
1870  or  1871,  though  lack  of  positive 
information  prevents  from  placing 
him  there  with  any  degree  of  confi- 
dence. R.  I.  P. 


REV.   J.   FREIMUTH. 


'  'Let  the  incense  of  pur  prayers 
Before  Thy  mercy  rise ; 
The  brightness  of  the  coming  night 
Upon    the    darkness    rolls ; 
With  hopes  of  future  glory 
Chase  the   shadows   on  our  souls". 

The  first  resident  pastor  of  Kamps- 
ville,  in  Calhoun  county,  was  Father 
Freimuth.  He  was  appointed  to  that 
parish  which  was  still  in  a  formative 
state,  in  1877,  and  remained  there  till 
1879.  During  his  two  years  stay  he 
built  a  small  frame  church  and  dedi- 
cated it  to  St.  Anselm.  On  the  24th 
day  of  April,  1879,  it'was  duly  blessed 
and  given  over  to  divine  worship. 
After  holding  several  minor  charges 
in  the  Southern  part  of  the  diocese, 
Father  Freimuth  joined  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order  at  Teutopolis  in  1887, 
and  was  known  from  that  time  as  P. 


Firmatus,  O.  F.  M.  As  such  he  be- 
came an  assistant  at  St.  Joseph's 
Church  of  Cleveland  in  1892.  Being 
a  man  of  extreme  nervousness  and 
delicate  health,  P.  Firmatus  was  much 
confined  to  indoor  life.  His  death  oc- 
curred at  Superior,  Wis.,  Nov.  23, 
1909,  being  in  his  71st  year  of  life,  the 
25th  of  his  solemn  profession  and  the 
33rd  of  his  priesthood. 

Father  Freimuth  was  born  April  10, 
1838,  at  Remscheidt  in  the  Archdio- 
cese of  Cologne,  was  ordained  a  priest 
at  Maline  in  Belgium,  May  26,  1877, 
and  came  to  this  country  the  follow- 
ing October.  His  solemn  profession 
as  member  of  the  Franciscan  Order 
was  made  on  March  8,  1888.  R.  -I.  P. 


REV.  HENRY  FREDERICK  FROHBOESE. 


"Cor  Jesu,   fac   cor  meum   sicut  cor   Tuum!" 

This  humble  and  pious  priest  was 
born  June  7,  1823,  in  Ringelheim, 
Hanover,  was  ordained  December  8, 
1853,  and  arrived  in  the  states  July 
26,  1858.  With  the  exception  of  the 
last  five  years,  the  deceased  spent  his 
priestly  life  in  parishes  of  the  present 
Belleville  diocese,  at  Mascoutah,  Ger- 
mantown,  Prairie  du  Rocher  and 
Fayetteville.  Broken  in  health,  after 
serious  trials  and  labors,  Father  Froh- 
boese  retired  in  August,  1884,  to 
become  a  chaplain  in  the  St.  Vincent's 
Home  of  Quincy.  Blindness  prevented 
him  from  saying  Mass  after  Dec.  24, 
1888.  Peacefully  he  slept  away  Janu- 
ary 9th,  1889.  His  remains  were  in- 
terred in  St.  Boniface  Cemetery  of 
Quincy.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Forfv-J.ro 


REV.  WILLIAM  FUTTERER. 


"So  soon,  so  soon,  is  the  daylight  fled! 
And  O,  how  fast  comes  the  dark  to-morrow, 
Who  hides,  perhaps,  in  her  veil  of  sorrow 
The  terrible  hour  I  wait  and  dread ! ' ' 

Like  a  flash  from  a  clear  noonday 
sky  came  the  startling-  announcement 
of  Rev.  Father  William  Futterer's 
death  on  Monday,  August  21,  1910.  It 
was  cabled  to  his  sister,  Mrs.  L.  Rit- 
ter,  of  Mattoon,  111.,  from  Munich  in 
Bavaria,  whither  decedent  had  gone 
to  recover  lost  health.  Most  of  his 
confreres  were  even  unaware  of  his 


ailing  condition,  few  knew  of  his  de- 
parture for  Europe.  Writer  of  these 
lines — since  1876  a  friend  and  formes- 
schoolmate  of  the  departed — received 
a  card  from  him.  written  on  landing 
in  England,  on  which  he  stated  that 
owing  to  the  invigorating  ocean  trip 
he  felt  much  better  and  that  he  antici- 
pa/ted  a  pleasant  journey  on  the  Con- 
tinent. But  "Man  proposes  whilst 
God  disposes."  This  truism  became 
exemplified  in  the  life  of  our  subject. 
Arrived  at  Bonn  he  had  to  .submit  to 
a  serious  surgical  operation  which,  as 
far  as  is  known,  turned  out  to  be  suc- 
cessful. Within  a  short  time  he  had 
so  far  recuperated  from  the  effects  of 
it  that  to  journey  to  Munich  seemed 
to  be  entirely  safe.  Prospects  for 
returning  health  and  strength  seemed 


reasonably  good,  nay  almost  certain. 
Buoyed  up  by  the  hope  of  finding 
permanent  cure  in  Bavaria's  fascinat- 
ing capital  for  his  shattered  constitu- 
tion, Father  Futterer  undertook  the 
trip.  From  time  to  time  letters  and 
cards  contained  the  information  that 
he  was  doing  well  and  there  seemed 
hope  in  every  sentence.  On  August 
8th,  however,  he  wrote  to  his  sister: 
"I  am  doing  only  fairly  well,"  the 
last  words  received  from  the  poor 
sufferer  who  was  then  already  proba- 
bly fighting  with  death.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  August  21,  the  scythe  in  the 
hand  of  the  grim  reaper  mowed  down 
the  precious  life  of  our  esteemed 
friend  in  far-away  Munich  and  caused 
tears  of  genuine  sorrow  in  many  a 
home,  for  this  whole-souled  man  com- 
manded hosts  of  friends  who  will 
continue  to  bless  his  memory. 

Rev.  William  Futterer  was  an  only 
son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  and 
Mary  Futterer  of  Mattoon,  111.  He 
attained  the  age  of  47  years  and  six 
months,  having  been  born  August  21, 
1863.  Strong  and  powerful  of  phy- 
sique, he  would  inspire  one  with  a 
sense  of  that  steam-roller  vitality 
which  is  so  conspicuous  and  notice- 
able wherever  met.  His  eyes  were 
dark  and  keen  and  upon  occasion 
would  rather  mischievously  twinkle, 
his  hands  would  extend  in  firm,  strong 
grip  and  cordial  clutch;  his  whole 
bearing  was  one  of  energy  and  deter- 
mination. Though  at  times  blunt  of 
speech,  yet  he  was  of  transparent 
honesty  of  purpose  and  nobility  of 
character.  Generous  and  unselfish  to 
a  fault  he  would  gladly  part  with  the 
last  dollar  in  his  pocket — or  as  some 
one  pertinently  remarked — w  o  u  1  d 
take  the  shirt  off  his  back  and  give  it 
to  the  needy  one.  His  hospitality 
was  lavish.  We  always  found  him  in 
happiest  mood  when  either  entertain- 
ing friends  or  dispensing  kindness  to 
deserving  people.  But  how  often  was 
his  kindness  abused  and  flagrantly 
taken  advantage  of  by  unworthy  and 
ungrateful  people,  greedy  leeches  who 
were  ready  to  smite  the  hand  that  had 
blessed  them;  and  blacken  the  char- 


Page  Forty-Thrr 


acter  of  the  noble  man  who  in  days  of 
distress  had  befriended  them. 

Rev.  Futterer  spent  his  boyhood 
days  and  early  manhood  in  Mattoon, 
where  he  received  his  schooling  at 
the  parochial  schools  conducted  by 
the  Dominican  Sisters.  After  leaving 
the  Mattoon  schools  he  entered  St. 
Joseph's  College  at  Teutopolis,  from 
which  he  graduated  with  high  honors. 
In  compliance  with  the  preferred 
wishes  of  the  late  Bishop  Baltes  he 
went  to  the  Grand  Seminary  of  Mon- 
treal, there  to  study  Philosophy  and 
Theology  and  became  ordained  to 
the  priesthood  by  the  Most  Rev. 
Archbishop  Edouard  Fabre,  D.  D., 
during  the  week  preceding  Christmas, 
1887. 

The  first  charge  which  the  young 
priest  enjoyed  was  at  Grant  Fork, 
(Saline)  where  he  succeeded  Rev.  A. 
Zurbonsen,  who  was  sent  as  first  resi- 
dent pastor  to  Staunton,  January  12, 
1888.  From  here  he  was  sent  by  his 
Bishop  to  near-by  P  i  e  r  r  o  n,  where 
owing  to  his  energetic  and  generous 
initiative  he  was  instrumental  in 
starting  a  parish,  erecting  a  fine 
church  and  rectory,  purchasing  a 
cemetery  site  and  performing  numer- 


ous other  duties  which  will  forever 
redound  to  his  honor  and  credit. 

At  this  time  Father  Futterer  became 
the  Bishop's  choice  as  diocesan  re- 
presentative at  the  Catholic  Univers- 
ity of  Washington.  Whilst  prosecu- 
ting his  studies  at  that  seat  of  learn- 
ing, he  was  placed  in  temporary 
charge  of  St.  Mary's  German  Cath- 
olic church,  the  only  church  in  the 
National  Capitol  where  the  German 
language  is  spoken.  After  remaining 
for  about  two  years  in  Washington — 
where  he  became  the  personal  friend, 
admirer  and  defender  of  the  late  Mgr. 
Dr.  Jos.  Schroeder,  dogmatic  profes- 
sor at  the  University — he  was  recalled 
by  the  Bishop  and  appointed  pastor 
of  the  parish  of  Petersburg,  where 
he  performed  noble  work,  but  con- 
tracted, however,-  the  malady  which 
eventually  resulted  in  his  untoward 
death.  The  remains  were  forwarded 
after  considerable  delay  to  this  coun- 
try, the  following  October.  Solemn 
obsequies  at  which  almost  the  entire 
diocesan  clergy  assisted,  were  had  in 
his  native  town  and  parish  church  of 
Mattoon,  after  which  he  was  bedded 
to  his  eternal  rest  in  the  local  Catholic 
cemetery.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   CHARLES   GEORGE   GEIER. 


"In  Domino  laudabitur  anima  mea". 
A  fine  young  priest,  amiable  and  of 
winning  disposition  was  Father  C. 
Geier,  a  former  college  student  of 
Teutopolis  and  Seminarian  of  St. 
Francis,  Milwaukee,  who  was  raised 
to  the  holy  ministry  in  the  Alton 
Cathedral  by  Bishop  Baltes,  Oct.  31, 
1880. 

Deceased  was  a  native  of  St.  Louis, 
son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anthony  Geier 
(Anna,  nee  Wollenschlager)  born 
April  26,  1857.  Whilst  a  student  of 
college  and  seminary  he  spent  the 


annual  summer  vacations  with  the 
late  Father  F.  Stick,  of  Mattoon,  a 
profitable  pastime  and  enjoyment  with 
such  versatile  man  and  talented  pastor 
of  wide  experience. 

Father  Geier  was  assigned  to  the 
Vandalia  parish  where  he  worked 
faithfully  and  successfully  from  1881- 
'85.  Owing  to  feeble  health  which 
gradually  developed  into  consumption 
he  was  forced  after  four  years  to  dis- 
continue active  service.  Death  claimed 
our  genial  young  priest  January  llth, 
1886.  R.  I.  P. 


- 


Page  Forty-Four 


REV.  HERMAN  GESENHUES. 


"Thy  life  that  has  been  dropped  aside 
Into  Time's  stream,  may  stir  the  tide 
In  rippled  circles  spreading  wide". 

On  Sept.  13,  1913,  the  members  of 
the  Immaculate  Conception  parish  of 
Shelbyville,  learned  with  sincerest 
feelings  of  deep  regret  and  poignant 
sorrow  of  the  sad  fate  which  had  be- 


fallen their  pastor,  and  with  them,  the 
bishop  and  every  priest  in  the  diocese 
were  most  painfully  affected,  when 
told  of  Father  Herman  Gesenhues' 
sudden  death.  A  heart  stroke  early 
in  the  morning  had  terminated  the 
precious  life  of  Shelbyville's  pastor. 
Three  weeks  before  his  death  he  had 
attended  the  bi-annual  retreat  at 
Quincy,  where  he  edified  many  by  the 
strict  observance  of  the  rules  as  well 
as  by  his  unfeigned  genuine  piety  and 
devotion.  During  recreation  hours 
when  a  free  intermingling  of  priests  is 
permitted  after  the  noon  and  evening 
meals,  good  Father  Gesenhues  would 
tarry  in  the  chapel,  taking  but  little 
heed  of  his  fellow-priests'  recreation 
and  diversions.  Had  he  a  premonition 
of  his  impending  fate,  did  he  feel  the 
nearness  of  the  last  summons?  So 
much,  however,  seems  to  be  certain, 
that  he  who  at  all  times  had  led  a 
model  priestly  life,  who  shortly  be- 
fore death  had  deeply  penetrated  into 


his  interior,  spiritual  life  to  set  things 
aright,  needed  not  to  fear  nor  trepi- 
date  when  suddenly  the  grim  reaper 
appeared  and  beckoned  to  accompany 
him.  Father  Gesenhues  was  prepared 
for  such  eventuality. 

Of  the  beautiful  life  and  character 
we  will  let  "A  Member  of  the  Congre- 
gation" speak  who  thus,  wrote  to  a 
local  paper  after  the  funeral  had  taken 
place: 

"I  fail  to  find  words  to  express  the 
deep  sorrow  felt  by  the  members  of 
the  Immaculate  Conception  Church  of 
this  city  over  the  sudden  but  peaceful 
death  of  our  dearly  beloved  pastor, 
Father  Gesenhues,  which  occured  at 
the  parsonage  in  this  city  about  6 
o'clock  Saturday  morning.  Sept.  13, 
1913.  Death  was  due  to  a  heart  stroke. 

We  mourn  the  loss  of  our  dear  pas- 
tor, an  honored  priest  of  the  diocese, 
and  our  dearest  friend. 

I  shall  endeavor  to  pay  tribute  to 
his  memory  by  mentioning  a  few  of 
his  many  virtues. 

Father  Gesenhues  realized  that  a 
priest  of  the  Catholic  Church  is  an 
ambassador  of  Christ.  The  joys  and 
sorrows  of  his  people  were  his  joys 
and  sorrows.  He  was  an  ideal  priest 
and  the  soul  of  sincerity. 

Father  Gesenhues  was  meek  and 
lowly,  kind  and  gentle  and  unassum- 
ing, and  was  remarkable  for  his  pa- 
tience. He  was  to  be  admired  because 
he  strictly  minded  his  own  business — 
a  character  which  he  also  so  much  ad- 
mired in  others.  He  was  eminently  a 
man  of  peace;  the  father  of  his  flock, 
for  whom  and  for  whose  sake  he  la- 
bored. It  made  no  difference  what 
the  occasion  or  the  circumstance 
might  be,  Father  Gesenhues  was  al- 
ways the  same  kind,  gentle  pastor. 

Many  of  his  quiet  acts  of  charity  are 
known,  but  most  are  only  recorded  in 
that  great  book  which  some  day  will 
be  revealed  to  all. 

Father  Gesenhues  disliked  publicity. 
He  was  not  a  public  man  in  the  ordi- 
nary sense  of  the  word.  He  had  one 
duty;  that  was  his  duty  to  his  parish. 

Page  Forty-Five 


His  religious  convictions  were  firmly 
fixed,  mellowed,  however,  with  charity 
for  all  not  of  his  faith.  He  was  a  shin- 
ing light  unto  all,  carefully  practicing 
all  he  preached.  His  whole  life  was 
devoted  solely  to  the  service  of  God. 

To  know  him  was  to  love  him.  To 
meet  him  was  a  joy  and  a  consolation. 
Not  only  cheering  in  the  hour  of  dark- 
ness, but  ever  and  always  bright  and 
cheerful  with  the  spirit  of  a  priest, 
urging  all  to  do  better. 

Could  our  dear  departed  pastor 
speak  to  us  today,  he  would  say: 
"Friend,  cease  praising  me,  but  pray 
for  me."  "He  is  worthy  of  praise,  and 
in  that  spirit  I  pay  tribute  to  his  mem- 
ory." 

Deceased,  a  big,  corpulent  man  of 
great  weight  and  tall  stature,  was  born 
in  St.  Louis,  Dec.  13,  1858.  Shortly 
after  his  parents  removed  to  German- 
town,  where  young  Herman  attended 
the  parochial  school  and  later  entered 
St.  Joseph's  College  of  Teutopolis. 
His  classical  course  finished,  he  was 
sent  by  the  Bishop  to  Milwaukee, 
there  to  study  Philosophy  and  Theol- 
ogy. 

Herman  Gesenhues  acquitted  him- 
self both  at  Teutopolis  and  at  Mil- 
waukee, splendidly  for  he  was  a  gifted 


and  talented  young  man  who  suffered 
not  to  be  outdone  by  his  class-mates. 

Bishop  Baltes  raised  our  young  the- 
ologian to  the  priesthood  at  Alton, 
Oct.  23,  1881.  Bloomfield,  Hillsboro, 
with  Raymond  and  Gillespie,  Alta- 
mont,  Beardstown  and  Shelbyville 
were  successively  the  parishes  where 
Father  Gesenhues  performed  excellent 
work  and  where  his  name  will  remain 
in  benediction.  Many  a  time  when 
coming  from  Hillsboro  to  Gillespie  on 
a  late  evening  train  and  not  wishing 
to  incommode  anyone,  he  went  to  his 
little  church  and  there  spent  the  night 
on  the  hard  planks  of  a  church  pew. 
His  modesty  forbade  to  ever  mention 
these  and  other  incidents  but  they  elo- 
quently portray  his  humility  and  un- 
selfishness. He  was  certainly  a  priest 
according  to  the  heart  of  God. 

When  Father  Herman  Gesenhues 
then,  was  called  away  from  the  scenes 
of  his  manifold  exploits  and  services, 
may  the  great  High  Priest  have  ad- 
dressed him  in  the  words  of  the  ante- 
phone:  "Euge  serve  bone  .  .  .  intra  in 
gaudium  Domini  tui." 

His  mortal  remains  were  taken  to 
his  old  home  in  Germantown,  and 
there,  after  solemn  services,  interred 
in  the  Catholic  cemetery.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  W.  GIFFORD. 


"Leaving    the    house    forever, 
To  wander   out   forlorn". 

Our  subject  was  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, and  ordained  in  Ireland.  He 
succeeded  Rev.  George  A.  Hamilton 
in  1851  in  the  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  young  Immaculate  Con- 
ception church  of  Springfield.  There 
had  been  a  vacancy  after  its  first 
resident  pastor,  G.  A.  Hamilton,  had 
relinquished  it  in  1845.  Father  Gif- 


ford  remained  its  pastor  for  two  years. 
He  died  in  the  fall  of  1853  at  O'Hara 
Settlement  (now  Ruma),  in  Randolph 
county,  and  there  he  found  his  last 
resting  place.  Father  Gifford  arrived 
in  Chicago  from  Ireland  in  May,  1850, 
and  was  at  once  accepted  by  Bishop 
Van  de  Velde.  He  worked  mostly  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  state.  R. 
I.  P. 


Page  Forty-Six 


REV.  CHARLES  GONANT. 


1  'Death  is  coming  and  I  hear  him 

Soft   and  stealthy   cometh  he; 
But  I  don't  believe  I  fear  him, 
God   is   now  so   close   to  me". 

— Father  Ab.  Eyan. 

Numbered   with  the  brave   band  of 


French  priests,  who,  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  Bishop  Juncker,  left  the  sunny 
hillsides  of  beautiful  France  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  fifties  in  order  to 
devote  their  future  lives  in  the  young 
diocese  of  Alton,  was  Rev.  Charles 
Gonant.  He  was  a  native  of  Nancy, 
where  he  received  Holy  Orders  in 
1858.  On  arriving  in  the  United  States 
in  the  fall  of  that  same  year,  his  first 
assignment  was  to  the  parish  of  As- 
sumption, which  then  was  greatly 
peopled  by  French-speaking  Catholics. 
He  became  their  first  resident  pastor. 


Here  Father  Gonant  remained  three 
years,  from  1858-'61,  attending  during 
these  years  to  the  spiritual  needs  of 
the  Catholics  of  Pana. 

From  Assumption  our  worthy 
priest  was  ordered  to  Litchfield  to 
succeed  the  Rev.  Michael  Colton  as 
pastor  of  that  young  congregation. 
Father  Colton  had  assumed  charge  of 
that  parish  a  few  years  previous  and 
had  caused  the  first  brick  church  to 
be  built  there  in  1859.  For  ten  years 
Father  Gonant  remained  at  Litchfield. 
A  considerable  debt  on  the  church 
was  liquidated  and  shortly  after  suc- 
ceeded in  building  a  becoming  paro- 
chial residence.  A  two-story  brick 
was  erected  and  nearly  all  paid  when 
he  took  possession  of  it.  Hitherto  he 
had  lived  in  a  one-story  cottage  ad- 
joining the  old  church  and  which  he 
rented  for  years.  From  Litchfield  he 
regularly  attended  Hillsboro. 

Leaving  Litchfield  in  June,  1871,  he 
moved  to  Arcola,  where,  however,  his 
stay  was  but  a  short  one,  for  he  left 
this  charge  in  September  of  the  same 
year.  At  this  juncture  our  good  priest 
went  to  the  Peoria  diocese  to  become 
a  subject  of  Bishop  Spalding  Che- 
banse  had  become  a  separate  parish 
and  awaited  a  pastor.  Rev.  Charles 
Gonant  was  sent  thither  in  1875  and 
he  continued  to  direct  the  destinies 
of  that  congregation  for  eleven  years, 
till  1886.  He  died  a  priest  of  that 
diocese.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   AUGUSTINE  GORRIS. 


"Adieu!      Farewell! 
At  peace!      at  rest! 
Gone  home  to  dwell 
Among  the  blest." 

The  queenly  city  of  Amsterdam  in 
Holland,  was  the  birthplace  of  a  tal- 
ented and  eager  young  priest,  who 
during  the  few  years  of  priestly  life 
had  already  accomplished  a  great 
deal.  His  premature  final  leave-taking 
then  caused  sincerest  regret  wherever 
known.  Father  Augustine  Charles 
Gorris  is  this  man  in  question.  The 
lamented  young  priest  had  a  host  of 


friends  who  all  admired  him  for  his 
deft  ways  and  undismayed  courage, 
which  he  exhibited  to  good  advantage 
when  placed  amid  adverse  conditions, 
especially  when  made  pastor  of  St. 
Ubaldus  parish  of  New  Douglas. 

Our  clerical  young  friend — he  was 
but  40  years  of  age  when  called  to 
his  reward — was  born  in  Amsterdam 
on  Christmas  day,  1861.  Being  with- 
out sufficient  means  to  complete  the 
prescribed  course  of  required  studies, 
he  set  out  to  learn  the  joiner's  trade. 


Page  Forty-Seven 


This  he  followed  for  a  number  of 
years,  husbanding  in  the  meantime, 
every  penny  for  the  accomplishment 
of  his  proposed  purpose,  the  study  for 
the  priesthood.  And  he  succeeded 
though  hard  was  the  task. 


At  the  American  College  of  Lou- 
vain  we  find  our  young  man  pouring 
over  his  books,  determined  to  win 
out,  which  he  did,  for  he  was  ordained 
there  on  February  25,  1893.  In  the 
fall  of  that  same  year  he  came  to  this 
country  to  be  appointed  as  assistant 
to  St.  Boniface  church  of  Quincy. 
This  was  November  13,  1893.  For 
three  years  he  worked  faithfully  at 
St.  Boniface,  when  on  November  5, 
1896,  he  was  transferred  to  St.  John's 
church  of  that  city,  there  to  lighten 
the  burdens  of  Father  Still,  the  pastor. 
Here  the  young  priest  performed  like- 
w  i  s  e  good  and  valiant  services. 
Recognizing  his  merits  and  persistent 
endeavors  his  Bishop  made  him  pastor 
of  St.  Ubaldus  parish  of  New  Doug- 


las, July  11,  1899.  Here  the  enduring 
qualities  of  the  man  were  put  to  a 
severe  test.  As  a  poor  priest,  he 
landed  in  a  poor  congregation.  St. 
Ubaldus  was  not  any  more  what  it 
used  to  be  in  the  Eighties.  The  Cath- 
olic population  had  dwindled  away, 
causing  that  parish  to  struggle  for  an 
existence.  A  mere  handful  of  Cath- 
olic people,  themselves  not  blessed 
with  riches,  to  have  and  support  a 
resident  priest  and  meet  current  ex- 
penses when  the  income  was  small  and 
meagre,  was  indeed  a  task  from  which 
many  a  one  would  have  tried  to 
shrink.  Not  so  with  Father  Gorris. 
Finding  the  church  walls  bare,  and 
plaster  cracked,  he  papered  them,  the 
leaky,  rotten  roof  he  tore  away,  and 
hunting  for  his  carpenter's  tools 
climbed  the  roof  and  re-shingled  it, 
broken  down  fences  he  repaired  and 
caused  a  great  many  other  necessary 
improvements  to  be  made.  Neither 
did  he  forget  to  build  up  the  spiritual 
life  of  the  parish.  When  everything 
was  in  good  running  order  our  young 
hard-working  pastor's  health  suc- 
cumbed to  the  continued  strain  and 
hardship  and  self-denial.  Where 
should  he  go  to  in  his  broken  down 
condition  and  poor  in  purse?  A  sin- 
cere welcome  awaited  him  with  the 
good  Sisters  of  St.  Vincent's  Home 
of  Quincy,  whose  chaplain  he  had  al- 
ready been  whilst  stationed  as  assist- 
ant at  St.  John's.  Nine  months  he 
struggled  to  ward  off  the  fatal  hour. 
However,  he  had  to  yield  to  the  in- 
evitable on  November  16,  1901,  tuber- 
culosis claiming  him  a  victim. 

After  solemn  funeral  services,  his 
remains  were  buried  in  St.  Boniface 
cemetery  of  Quincy. 

May  the  soul  of  this  worthy  young 
priest  rest  in  God's  holy  peace. 


Page  Forty-Eight 


REV.  GEO.  A.  HAMILTON,  SR. 


"I  will  pass  from  earth  and  meet  him 

Whom  I  loved  thro'    all  the  years, 
Who  will   crown  me  when  I  greet  Him 
And  will  kiss  away  the  tears". 

Sparse  and  meagre  are  the  items 
left  us  about  Rev.  G.  A.  Hamilton 
and  his  doings  in  parishes  now  parts 
of  the  Alton  diocese  and  the  few 
known  facts  comprise  but  seven  years 
of  his  priestly  career  among  us. 

Rev.  George  A.  Hamilton,  together 
with  Rev.  Hilary  Tucker,  the  founder 
of  St.  Peter's  of  Quincy,  were  sent  in 
their  young  student  days  by  Bishop 
Rosatti  of  St.  Louis,  to  Rome,  there 
to  enter  the  College  of  the  Propagan- 
da. The  young  men  had  attracted  the 
Bishop's  attention  by  their  extraordi- 
nary mental  endowments.  These  gifts 
and  talents  augured  well  for  their 
future  usefulness.  The  territory  for 
which  they  were  ordained  was  im- 
mense, the  laborers,  however,  were 
but  few.  Both  young  men  were  of 
native  American  parentage.  Finish- 
ing their  studies  at  the  Eternal  City 
in  1839,  the  young  neo-presbyters 
hastened  home  and  presenting  them- 
selves to  their  Ordinary,  were  assigned 
to  their  respective  spheres  of  work, 
Father  Tucker  to  Quincy  and  Father 
Hamilton  to  Upper  Alton.  Here  the 
latter  assumed  charge  as  first  resi- 
dent pastor  of  St.  Mathias'  church — 
which  a  few  years  thereafter  was  con- 
sumed by  fire.  From  Alton  Fr.  Hamil- 
ton extended  his  activity  in  every 
direction,  especially  did  he  center  it 
in  Springfield,  where  in  1845  he  or- 
ganized a  parish  in  honor  of  St.  John 
Baptist,  built  a  small  frame  church 
and  took  up  his  residence  beside  it. 
Again  his  usefulness  from  here  radi- 
ated in  many  directions,  attending 
from  Springfield,  the  Catholic  settle- 
ments of  Sugar  Creek,  Bear  Creek, 
South  Fork,  Vandalia,  Taylorville, 


Jacksonville  and  Virginia.  On  May 
11,  1845,  Father  Hamilton  celebrated 
for  the  first  time  Mass  at  Vandalia,  the 
ceremony  taking  place  at  the  court 
house.  People  of  every  denomination 
were  desirous  of  seeing  the  services 
and  administration  of  baptism  per- 
formed. Consequently  the  building 
was  crowded  to  excess,  not  half  of 
the  large  concourse  of  people  being 
able  to  gain  admission.  Catholics 
largely  seized  the  opportunity  afforded 
them  by  offering  up  their  prayers  be- 
fore the  throne  of  the  Most  High. 
Fifty  persons  received  the  Sacrament 
of  Baptism  that  day.  Truly  a  Pente- 
costal sight.  Virginia,  one  of  the  sta- 
tions attended  to  by  Father  Hamilton 
from  Springfield  relates  in  the  ac- 
count of  1850  that  it  had  received  the 
accomodations  of  a  frame  church. 
When  this  frame  church  was  erected, 
is  not  stated. 

In  May,  1846,  he  left  the  diocese 
(Chicago)  and  the  state,  going  east  to 
Boston,  where  he  died  a  few  years 
later.  Only  once  after  leaving  his 
diocese  we  hear  from  him  and  this 
was  on  the  occasion  when  a  petition 
was  signed  that  was  to  secure  a.  char- 
ter for  the  "University  of  St.  Mary  of 
the  Lake."  George  A.  Hamilton 
placed  his  signature  thereto  July  18, 
1849,  to  which  was  added:  removed 
from  the  state. 

Our  subject,  Rev.  George  A.  Hamil- 
ton must  not  be  confused,  however, 
with  a  namesake,  Rev.  Geo.  Hamilton, 
Jr.  who  received  ordination  from 
Bishop  Quarter  at  Chicago,  August  19, 
1845.  He  labored  for  awhile  at  North 
Arm,  this  diocese,  attending  Paris  and 
thereafter  worked  in  Chicago  diocese. 
He  was  a  nephew  of  Rev.  Geo.  A. 
Hamilton,  Sr.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Forty-Nine 


REV.  FRANCIS  J.  HARBE. 


At  the  Santa  Maria  Infirmary  of  San 
Antonio,  Texas,  on  June  17,  1913,  the 
life  of  a  fine  young  priest  was 
snuffed  out  by  cruel  death.  Rev.  Fran- 
cis J.  Harbe  died  there  a  victim  of  the 
"White  Plague,"  tuberculosis.  Medi- 
cal aid  and  science  had  tried  in  vain 
to  stay  the  inroads  caused  by  this 
terrible  disease  but  to  no  avail.  He 
sank  into  the  grave  when  but  37  years 
old. 

Father  Harbe's  life  was  one  replete 
with  adventures,  it  reads  like  a 
romance  in  all  its  phases  and  features. 
Born  May  2,  1876  at  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
he  became  in  infancy  orphaned 
through  the  death  of  his  mother.  The 
father  took  the  child  to  far-off  Arizona 
and  placed  him  in  the  care  of  the  Sis- 
ters of  St.  Joseph.  Mother  Monica, 
one  of  the  sisters,  thereupon  confided 
little  Francis  to  an  orphanage  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  where  he  grew  up  into 
boyhood.  Being  endowed  with  a 
bright  intellect,  the  boy  was  sent  to 
St.  Francis  College  of  Quincy,  where 
he  remained  till  1896,  making  splendid 
progress  in  all  his  studies,  especially 
in  music.  We  next  hear  of  him  as 
music  teacher  in  St.  Louis  and  organ- 


ist at  St.  Patrick's  of  that  city.  When 
the  Spanish-American  war  broke  out, 
young  Harbe  joined  the  Missouri 
volunteers  and  saw  service  in  Cuba. 
In  1900  he  decided  to  again  take  up 
his  studies  and  to  prepare  for  the 
priesthood.  He  entered  the  American 
College  of  Louvaini,  in  Belgium  where 
after  the  completion  of  his  theolog- 
ical course  he  was  ordained  July  12, 
1903  by  Bishop  James  F.  Van  der 
Stappen. 

His  first  appointment  was  to 
Oconee  from  where  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Greenville.  His  health  gave 
way,  whereupon  in  1910  he  sought 
the  more  salubrious  clime  of  Oklaho- 
ma. There  he  had  charge  for  one  year 
of  the  parish  of  Coal  Gate,  but  not 
seeing  any  improvement  in  his  broken- 
down  health,  he  entered  in  1911  the 
Sanitarium  at  Boerne,  Texas.  But  the 
result  here  was  not  better  than  in 
Oklahoma,  on  the  contrary,  Father 
Harbe  felt  his  life  slowly  ebbing 
away.  From  Boerne  he  journeyed  to 
the  Santa  Maria  Infirmary  of  San 
Antonio,  where  as  already  stated,  he 
passed  away  June  17,  1913.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JAMES  HARTY. 


It  is  a  fact,  unknown  to  many,  that 
St.  Joseph's  College  of  Teutopolis, 
combined  with  the  classical  course 
likewise  one  of  Philosophy  and  Theol- 
oyg.  This  was  in  the  beginning  of  its 
existence,  now  more  than  fifty  years 
ago.  It  prospered  and  flourished 
from  1862-1865  when  owing  to  a  lack 
of  professors  the  theological  course 
was  discontinued  by  the  Rector  of  the 
institution,  the  Very  Rev.  Mauritius 
Klostermann,  O.  F.  M.,  who  felt  that 
services  of  the  little  band  of  Fathers 
was  more  urgently  needed  elsewhere. 
During  the  existence  of  this  theolog- 
ical department  at  the  College,  how- 
ever, there  were  twenty-five  young 
clerics  graduated  for  the  priesthood, 
one  of  whom  was  our  subject,  Rev. 
James  Harty.  He  with  three  other 
seminarians  was  ordained  on  St.  Nich- 
olas' Day,  Dec.  6th,  1863.  The  co- 


ordinati  were  the  Revs.  W.  Kinchen- 
buch  (who  in  later  years  joined  the 
Peoria  diocese),  Ferdinand  Stick  and 
Jeremiah  Sullivan.  All  these  good 
priests  now  rest  in  God,  the  last  to 
die  was  Rev.  Ferd.  Stick  of  Highland. 

St.  Francis  Xavier's  parish  of  Jer- 
seyville,  will  forever  be  linked  with 
the  name  and  blessed  memory  of 
Father  Harty,  for  it  was  in  this  parish 
that  almost  his  whole  priestly  career 
was  spent,  from  1868-1899,  in  which 
latter  year  (July)  he"  was  summoned 
to  a  better  world. 

The  decendent  was  born  at  Old  Par- 
ish, County  Waterford,  Ireland,  on 
Dec.  6th,  1836.  He  made  his  classical 
studies  at  the  school  kept  by  the 
Trappist  Fathers  at  Mt.  Mellary  and 
entered  All  Hallows'  College  in  1859. 
He  left  the  land  of  his  birth,  however, 


Page  Fifty 


and  setting  the  prow  of  his  future 
career  westward,  came  to  America, 
landing  at  Alton  in  1862.  The  theo- 
logical department  having  just  been 
opened  at  Teutopolis,  it  was  thither 
that  Bishop  Juncker  directed  the 
young  aspirant  to  proceed  where  in 


1863  he  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood. His  first  appointment  was  to 
Olney,  whence  he  was  transferred  to 
become  the  Cathedral  Rector  of  Alton. 
Shortly  after  his  advent  to  Alton,  St. 
Francis  Xavier's  parish  of  Jerseyville 
was  founded.  The  church  building  was 
under  construction.  The  committee 
in  charge,  however,  had  encountered 


a  financial  snag  and  it  required  the 
services  of  a  prudent  and  experienced 
pilot  to  extricate  the  affair  out  of  be- 
setting difficulties  and  send  the  un- 
finished church  on  to  completion. 
Father  Harty  was  the  man  of  the 
hour.  He  assumed  the  task.  No  one 
was  better  qualified  to  undertake  this 
job  than  he.  (1868)  With  what  signal 
success  he  labored  in  this  chosen  field 
of  St.  Xavier's  of  Jerseyville  for  thir- 
tyone  long  years,  is  well  known  to  all 
Church  residence,  Sister's  dwelling, 
and  above  all  the  fine  parochial  school 
the  pride  of  the  parish,  eloquently 
proclaim — better  than  words  can  tell 
— Father  Harty's  untiring  efforts  in 
behalf  of  parish  and  people. 

It  is  not  often  that  a  priest  has 
departed  beyond  the  meridian  sun  of 
life  whose  taking  off  has  left  a  deeper 
sorrow  upon  parishioners,  or  has  de- 
prived his  friends  of  a  more  beloved 
and  genial  companion  and  the  diocese 
at  large  of  a  more  wise  and  useful 
pastor,  than  Rev.  Harty.  To  say 
that  he  was  endeared  to  all  who  knew 
him  is  only  to  express  their  faith  and 
trust  in  his  unblemished  conduct  of 
priestly  life  and  in  his  fidelity  to  all 
good  principles,  and  to  repeat  toward 
the  departed  the  earnest  friendship 
which  he  inspired  by  his  noble,  unsel- 
fish bearing,  extended  to  all  with  cor- 
dial sincerity.  His  acquaintance  was 
extensive,  but  it  was  not  wider  than 
that  atmosphere  of  warm  and  appre- 
ciative love  and  respect  which  per- 
vades all  classes  of  people  who  had 
ever  come  in  contact  with  him.  A 
good,  generous,  big-hearted  man  and 
true  priest  of  God  has  left  his  last- 
ing imprints  upon  the  Alton  Diocese. 

Father  Harty  found  his  last  rest- 
ing place  in  the  local  Catholic  ceme- 
tery of  Jerseyville.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Fifty-One 


REV.  B.  HASSE. 


"Rich  the  joy  to  be  revealed 

In  that  hour  from  labor  free 
Bright  the   splendors   that   shall  yield 
Happiness    to   thee". 

The    former    "Americanum"    of    St. 
Maurice  in  Muenster,  has  contributed 


a  number  of  excellent  priests  to  our 
diocesan  clerical  ranks.  This  institu- 
tion has  now  ceased  to  exist  as  such. 
The  last  one  of  the  Alton  priests  who 
received  their  training  there,  Rev. 
Bernard  Hasse,  died  May  4,  1911,  at 
the  age  of  63  years.  The  cradle  of 
Father  Hasse  stood  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  Ems  at  Warendorf  in  West- 
falia,  where  he  was  born  February  12, 
1848.  There  in  the  primary  schools  of 
his  native  city  he  received  his  first 
marked  honor  and  distinction.  In 
1870  he  entered  as  young  cleric  above 
mentioned  institution.  After  four 
years  of  strenuous  application  to  phil- 
osophical and  theological  studies,  he 
was  elevated  to  the  priesthood  in  the 
venerable  cathedral  church  of  St. 
Ludger  of  Muenster,  by  Bishop  John 
Bernard  Brinkmann,  May  30,  1874. 
In  company  with  the  late  Revs. 
Augustine  W  e  n  k  e  r,  of  Naperville, 
Emmerich  Weber  of  Chicago,  and 
John  Stor'p  of  Green  Creek,  he  set  out 
for  America  that  same  summer,  ar- 
riving in  New  York,  September  19,  and 

Page  Fifty -Two 


a  few  days  after  in  Alton.  From  the 
day  of  his  coming  till  the  day  of  exit 
Father  Hasse  proved  himself  a  con- 
scientious, faithful  and  earnest  priest 
in  the  discharge  of  his  holy  office.  In 
a  quiet,  unobtrusive  way  he  went 
about  his  business  doing  good.  Being 
of  a  retired  disposition  he  seldom  ap- 
peared in  public  for  he  eschewed  all 
notoriety  and  ostentation.  He  lived 
for  his  parishioners,  his  best  friends 
were  his  books  on  the  library  shelf, 
for  Father  Hasse  was  solid  in  his 
studies.  The  parishes  in  which  he 
faithfully  worked,  Paris,  Grant  Fork, 
Fayetteville,  Raymond,  Petersburg 
anl  Mt.  Sterling,  will  continue  to  keep 
his  memory  sacred.  Months  prior  to 
death  our  subject  became  afflicted 
with  heart  trouble — angina  pectoris — 
for  the  relief  of  which  he  sought  a 
quiet  retreat  in  St.  Mary's  Hospital  or 
Quincy.  This,  however,  proved  of  but 
little  avail.  The  doctors  suggested 
the  Southern  clime  of  Hot  Springs, 
Ark.  He  went  thither  but  soon  re- 
turned to  Illinois,  the  ailment  had 
grown  in  intensity  and  assumed 
alarming  proportions.  He  entered  St. 
John's  Hospital  of  Springfield,  for 
feeling  the  nearness  of  death,  our 
good  priest  wanted  to  die  among  his 
friends  of  the  diocese.  On  May  4, 
1911,  death  relieved  him  of  his  suf- 
ferings and  his  priestly  soul  soared 
upwards  to  God's  holy  throne. 

Having  been  a  life-long  friend  of 
his  former  schoolmate  and  confrere 
Father  Joseph  Still,  our  departed  had 
oft  expressed  a  wish  to  be  buried  near 
him.  Thus  it  happened  that  the  ob- 
sequies took  p  1  a  c  e  at  St.  John's 
church,  Quincy,  on  the  following 
Tuesday,  May  9.  Solemn  Requiem 
followed  the  recitation  of  the  Office 
of  the  Dead,  Rev.  E.  Spalding  being 
celebrant  assisted  by  Rvs.  C.  Kreck- 
enberg  of  Springfield,  as  deacon,  and 
H.  Muckermann  of  Linn,  Mo.,  as  sub- 
deacon,  whilst  the  pastor,  Rev.  J. 
Postner,  acted  as  master  of  cere- 
monies. The  funeral  sermon  was 
spoken  by  Rev.  A.  Zurbonsen,  of  St. 
Mary's,  Quincy.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   WILLIAM  J.   HEALY. 


'  'Best  had  come.    His  task  was  done. 
Calm  was  written  on  his  brow." 

Responding  to  the  heavenly  roll- 
call  of  his  Maker,  Rev.  William  Healy 
departed  from  hence  June  2,  1915.  He 
was  in  the  summer  of  life  when  he 
harkened  to  the  final  summons. 
Months  of  illness  had  defied  all  medi- 
cal skill  and  treatment  in  hospital 
and  sanitarium.  Peacefully  and  qui- 


etly he  breathed  forth  his  soul  into 
the  hands  of  his  God.  The  energetic 
priest  had  framed  up  within  his  soul 
a  vision  of  years  of  usefulness  to  his 
congregation,  years  of  endeavor  for 
the  welfare  of  others,  years  of  service 
to  the  diocese,  years  of  prayerfulness 
to  Almighty  God.  Cruel  death  frus- 
trated all  plans  arid  projects.  Father 
Healy  was  beckoned  forth  to  meet 
his  Master.  His  priestly  soul  entered 
Eternity. 

Deceased  was  of  cheerful  and  sunny 
disposition,  ever  ready  to  report  to 
the  call  of  duty,  kind  and  generous 
to  all.  Championing  physical  culture 
and  recreation,  he  was  an  ardent  lover 
of  our  national  sport,  baseball.  A 


host  of  friends  and  admirers  mourn 
his  untimely  loss,  especially  the 
Knights  of  Columbus,  whose  state 
chaplain  he  had  been  for  several 
terms. 

Rev.  William  Healy  was  born  at 
Scranton,  Pa.,  August  1,  1868.  After 
graduating  from  the  elementary 
schools  of  his  native  city,  he  entered 
St.  Michael's  College  of  Toronto, 
Canada,  where  he  pursued  his  classi- 
cal course.  From  there  he  was  sent 
to  "Our  Lady  of  Angels"  Seminary 
of  Niagara,  for  Philosophy  and  The- 
ology, and  became  ordained  to  the 

priesthood  by  Bishop  S.  V.  Ryan  of 
Buffalo,  December  23,  1894.  Imme- 
diately after  ordination  the  young 
priest  was  assigned  as  assistant  to 
the  Cathedral  of  Alton.  Here  he  re- 
mained for  almost  six  years,  being 
transferred  in  March,  1900,  in  similar 
capacity  to  the  church  of  Jacksonville. 
In  September  of  that  same  year, 
Father  Healy  was  appointed  pastor  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  congregation  of 
Effingham,  succeeding  Rev.  Father 
Ducey,  who  was  transferred  to  the 
parish  of  Marshall.  After  several 
years  of  devout  faithful  service  at 
Effingham,  Father  Healy  was  again 
called  upon  to  succeed  his  former  pre- 
decessor and  move  on  to  Marshall, 
where  Father  Ducey's  career  had 
been  rudely  interrupted  by  death. 
Here  it  was  that  our  departed  one  be- 
gan to  ail,  steadily  getting  worse  and 
worse  as  time  passed  on.  Thinking 
that  a  change  to  a  smaller  rural  parish 
might  improve  his  condition,  the 
Bishop  appointed  him  to  that  of 
Murrayville,  made  vacant  'by  the 
death  of  Father  McGuire,  but  all  to 
no  avail.  The  deadly  germs  had  de- 
veloped rapidly  and  on  June  2,  1915, 
Father  Healy  sank  into  the  arms  of 
death.  After  solemn  funeral  services 
his  remains  were  imbedded  in  the 
cemetery  of  the  parish.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Fifty-Three 


REV.  WILLIAM  HEFFERNAN. 


"Ambition    have    I,    and    it's    with    me    night 

and  day; 
To    live    my    life    for    others    and    to    help 

them  when  I  can ; 

To   foster   hope,   and   sorrow   drive   away, 
And  love  and  be  loved  by  my  fellowman' '. 

Thus  wrote  the  priestly  pen  of  one 
whose  sad  and  sudden  passing  shocked 
the  community  and  spread  a  pall  of 
gloom  and  mourning  over  the  diocese 
when  the  sad  news  was  flashed  to 
priests  and  people  that  Rev.  William 
Heffernan  had  been  found  dead  in 
bed,  had  answered  the  last  summons 
of  the  angel  of  death  and  had  passed 
to  his  reward  in  the  kingdom  of  his 
Master  whom  he  had  served  so  well. 
It  was  on  the  day  of  the  Holy  Souls, 
November  2,  1912,  at  the  rectory  of 
St.  Mary's  parish  of  Mt.  Sterling,  that 
this  catastrophe  overpowered  the  ap- 
parently strong  and  healthful  man. 
Little  did  anyone  dream  that  Father 
Heffernan  would  be  a  corpse  before 
the  morning  sun  had  awakened  all 
Nature  and  called  upon  the  members 
of  the  church  militant  to  aid  the 
members  of  the  church  suffering  by 
their  sacrifices,  communions  and 
prayers,  little  did  he  dream  that  the 
Holy  Mass  which  he  intended  to  offer 
that  fatal  Saturday  for  the  suffering 
souls  would  be  offered  for  himself 
by  another,  his  faithful  assistant. 

Rev.  William  Heffernan  was  born 
in  Blackstone,  Mass.,  May  24,  1869, 
and  hence  had  but  passed  the  forty- 
third  milestone  on  life's  journey.  After 
finishing  his  high  school  education  in 
his  native  town,  young  Heffernan  de- 
cided to  study  for  the  priesthood.  To 


this  end  he  entered  the  Grand  Semin- 
ary of  Montreal  for  the  study  of 
Philosophy  and  after  a  two  years' 
course  there  betook  himself  to  the 
American  College  of  Louvain,  where, 
after  four  more  years  he  was  elevated 
to  the  priesthood  in  1896.  After  his 
ordination  he  served  as  assistant  at 
St.  Mary's  church  of  Springfield,  re- 
maining there  three  years  and  win- 
ning a  distinguished  reputation  for  his 
theological  sermons  and  public  ad- 
dresses. From  there  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Shelbyville  as  pastor,  later 
appointed  pastor  of  the  congregation 
of  Arcola  from  which  place  he  came 
to  Mt.  Sterling,  July  1,  1907.  The 
want  x>f  a  Catholic  high  school  at 
this  place,  a  center  of  Catholic  popu- 
lation and  energy,  had  been  long  and 
keenly  felt  for  years.  It  was  reserved 
for  Father  Heffernan  to  accomplish 
what  others  had  not  dared  to  under- 
take. St.  Mary's  Academy,  with  al- 
most 200  pupils  stands  today  a  per- 
manent monument  of  his  untiring 
work  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
education  and  religion.  His  memory 
will  continue  to  live  on  in  the  hearts 
of  many  grateful  people  whom  he 
benefitted  by  his  many  deeds  of  kind- 
ness and  priestly  ministrations. 

His  mortal  remains  were  forwarded 
to  his  home  town,  Woonsocket,  R.  I., 
where  his  aged  mother  then  resided, 
and  there  they  rest  within  the  shadow 
of  the  cross  on  the  pretty  Catholic 
cemetery  'till  the  dawn  of  resurrection 
morn.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Fifty-Four 


REV.  RODERICK  HEIMERLING. 


Mary, — our  comfort  and  our  hope, — 

O  may  that  word  be  given 
To  be  the  last  we  sing  on  earth — 

To  be  the  first  we  breathe  in  heaven! 

The  Rev.  Roderick  Heimerling  was 
born  February  20,  1825,  in  Waldfaus- 
ten,  a  small  town  of  Bavaria.  His 
parents  were  persons  of  social  stand- 
ing and  wealth,  the  father  holding  an 
important  government  position. 
Young  Roderick  being  the  issue  of  a 
mixed  marriage,  his  father  a  protest- 
ant  and  the  mother  a  Catholic,  was 
raised  a  protestant.  However,  early 
in  life  he  embraced  the  religion  of  his 
mother.  This  was  in  opposition  to 
the  law  of  the  land  which  prohibited 
the  son  of  a  protestant  father  from 
becoming  a  Catholic  under  a  certain 
age.  The  violation  of  this  law  com- 
pelled him  to  flee  from  home.  He 
went  to  Switzerland,  but  was  pursued, 
brought  back  and  sent  to  a  Military 
Academy.  Whilst  here  he  was  woun- 
ded by  a  shot  which  caused  a  slight 
but  permanent  lameness.  When  he 
had  partly  recovered  from  his  wound 
he  fled  again  to  Switzerland  and  from 
there  to  Rome.  By  the  intercession 
of  the  Bavarian  Court  he  was  admit- 
ted to  the  College  of  the  Propaganda, 
where  he  studied  for  the  next  seven 
years.  After  completing  his  course 
of  studies  and  being  unable  under  the 
laws  of  his  native  land  to  return  home 
he  was  sent  by  the  Prefect  of  the 
Propaganda  to  the  United  States  a 
sub-deacon.  Chicago  was  selected  as 
the  field  of  his  future  services.  Shortly 
after  landing  Bishop  Van  de  Velde 


ordained  him   a  priest,   September  9, 
1850. 

Ever  since  that  day  he  had  been 
in  active  service.  His  first  appoint- 
ment was  at  Galena,  and  after  that  in 
various  places  of  Illinois.  In  1856  and 
part  of  '57  he  had  charge  of  St. 
Marie,  Jasper  county.  October  26, 
1859,  we  find  him  in  charge  of  St. 
Alexis'  at  Beardstown.  At  this  place 
he  established  a  school  in  a  rented 
building  and  purchased  land  for  a 
graveyard.  Here  he  remained  for  al- 
most seven  years  and  here  it  was  this 
great  and  generous  man  died  March 
20,  1866.  The  story  of  his  last  hours 
of  life  is  a  sad  one.  Having  to  attend 
a  sick  call  during  the  night  previous 
to  his  death,  he  waded  a  stream,  con- 
tracted a  severe  cold,  and  instead  of 
returning  home  at  once  and  caring 
for  himself,  went  on  to  Rushville, 
Schuyler  county — one  of  his  missions 
— paying  with  his  life  the  excess  of 
his  zeal.  Feeling  the  nearness  of 
death  he  sent  for  Father  Stick,  then 
pastor  of  Mt.  Sterling,  but  alas!  had 
to  die  without  the  consolations  of  his 
church,  the  priest  being  unable  to 
reach  him  in  time.  After  solemn 
funeral  services  conducted  by  Revs. 
M.  Clifford  F.  Stick  and  A.  Busch, 
his  remains  were  interred  in  the  Cath- 
olic cemetery  of  Beardstown. 

Among  his  schoolmates  in  Rome  he 
counted  Cardinal  Cullen,  Archbishop 
Spalding,  Bishop  Rosecrans  and  Dr. 
Cummings  of  New  York.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  HENRY  ALOYS  HELLHAKE. 


'  'And  the  south-wind  sighing  in  the  trees 
And  the  dead  leaves  rustling  as  they  fall". 

Born  at  Quincy,  111.,  February  9, 
1849,  Father  Hellhake  was  raised  to 
the  priesthood  in  his  native  city,  April 
21,  1872.  He  was  an  assistant  at  St. 
Boniface,  Quincy,  from  May-August, 
1872,  and  then  served  as  pastor  of  St. 


Alexis  parish  of  Beardstown  from 
1873-Aug.  '75,  after  which  he  joined 
the  Fort  Wayne  diocese,  where  he  be- 
came pastor  of  St.  John's  church  of 
Remington,  in  Jasper  county.  He  died 
within  recent  years,  Aug.  11,  1909,  at 
Sheldon,  Ind.,  where  he  was  pastor  of 
the  local  St.  Aloysius  church.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Fifty-Five 


REV.  EDWARD  HERMANN. 


1  'The  star  of  life  had  risen 
Only  to  fade  away". 

A  priest  of  migratory  propensities 
was  Rev.  Joseph  Edward  Hermann. 
He  was  a  native  of  Silesia,  born  at 
Steinau,  in  the  Diocese  of  Breslau. 
Having  almost  completed  his  studies 
in  the  old  country,  he  came  to  the 
States  November  18,  1859,  and  was 
ordained  a  priest  by  Bishop  Juncker 
at  Quincy,  July  2,  1860.  Among  other 
places  which  he  occupied  in  our  dio- 
cese was  that  of  St.  Mary's,  Edwards- 


ville,  in  1866,  succeeding  Rev.  G. 
Tuerk.  On  May  29,  1867,  he  left  the 
diocese  and  entered  upon  the  duties 
as  pastor  of  St.  Joseph's  church  at 
Mendota,  111.,  was  transferred  to  Lin- 
coln, thereupon  was  made  pastor  of 
Matamora  in  1871,  and  in  1872  was  a 
chaplain  in  St.  John's  Hospital  of  Port 
Townsend  in  the  diocese  of  Nesqually, 
Washington.  The  date  of  Father  Her- 
man's death  could  not  be  ascertained. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN   HERLITZ. 


"Dies  mei  sieut  umbra  declinaverunt  et  ego  ut 
foenum  ami". 

Among  the  number  of  Neo-Presby- 
ters  who,  as  graduates  from  the 
American  College  of  Louvain  had 
been  ordained  in  the  summer  of  1877, 
was  Rev.  John  Herlitz.  A  class  pic- 
ture still  extant  and  today  in  the  pos- 
session of  one  of  the  ordinati  of  that 
year,  shows  our  subject  presiding  over 
that  class  of  graduates,  for  he  was  the 
oldest  among  them,  having  been  or- 
dained when  well  advanced  in  years. 
Father  Herlitz  arrived  in  the  Alton 
Diocese  in  the  fall  of  that  year  and 
from  the  very  start  displayed  great  in- 
terest in  his  work.  In  1885  he  took 
.charge  of  Mitchell,  attending  at  the 
:same  time  Bethalto.  During  a  mission 
given  by  Father  Braun,  S.  J.,  prepara- 


tory to  the  celebration  of  the  patron 
feast  of  the  church,  on  the  eve  of  St. 
Martin's  Day,  during  evening  service, 
a  defective  flue  set  the  church  of 
Bethalto  on  fire,  destroying  it  as  well 
as  the  rectory  adjoining.  The  first 
years  of  his  priesthood  were  spent  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  Diocese,  he 
had  charge  for  several  years  of  the 
parish  of  Anna.  Before  studying  for 
the  ministry  at  all,  our  deceased  priest 
had  been  a  member  of  a  religious 
community  of  brothers  and  had  taught 
school  several  years  in  England. 

Father  Herlitz  died  Nov.  5,  1889,  at 
the  rectory  of  Mitchell  and  has  found 
his  last  resting  place  in  the  small 
Catholic  cemetery  near  that  town.  R. 
I.  P. 


REV.   LOUIS   HINSSEN. 


"Lingering  breezes  pass 

As   tenderly   and    slow, 
As  if  beneath  the  grass, 
A  monarch  slept  below". 

The  zealous  and  self-sacrificing 
community  of  Franciscan  Hospital 
Sisters,  whose  Mother-house  is  loca- 
ted at  Springfield,  sustained  a  severe 
loss  in  the  death  of  their  able  Direc- 
tor, Rev.  Louis  Hinssen.  In  good 
health  until  a  few  weeks  before  his 
death,  his  friends  predicted  for  him 
many  more  years  of  active  work.  He 
died  at  St.  Clara's  Hospital,  of  Lin- 
coln, 111.,  whither  he  had  retired  at 
the  advice  of  his  physician,  June  25, 
1905.  In  the  annual  report  for  1904- 
1905  of  St.  John's  Hospital  of  Spring- 


field, the  Rev.  Joseph  S  t  r  a  u  b,  ap- 
pointed successor  to  decedent  speaks 
at  length  of  the  life  and  merits  of 
Father  Hinssen.  Here  is  the  well- 
deserved  tribute  he  pays  to  his  mem- 
ory: 

Father  Hinssen  was  born  at  Sons- 
beck,  Germany,  December  29th,  1834. 
In  this  little  town  he  spent  his  early 
years  and  received  his  elementary 
education.  After  completing  the  rigid 
course  of  studies  at  the  Gymnasium 
of  Cleve,  he  entered  the  Seminary  at 
Muenster,  Westphalia,  to  prepare 
himself  for  his  ordination  to  the 
priesthood. 


Page  Fifty-Six 


About  a  year  before  his  ordination, 
an  event  took  place  that  was  to  make 
an  important  change  in  his  plans.  Up 
to  this  time  Father  H  i  n  s  s  e  n  had 
thought  of  no  other  field  of  labor  than 
that  of  his  own  native  country.  An 
address  on  the  need  of  Catholic 
priests  in  the  diocese  of  Alton,  deliv- 
ered to  the  students  of  the  Muenster 
Seminary,  by  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  Damian 
Junker,  the  first  Bishop  of  the  diocese, 
inspired  in  young  Hinssen  a  zeal 
lor  missionary  labor  and  aroused  and 
confirmed  in  him  the  desire  to  emi- 
grate to  America.  With  the  determin- 
ation that  characterized  his  actions 
all  through  life,  he  immediately  set  to 
work  to  carry  out  this  new  project. 
He  did  not  wait  for  his  ordination,  but 
as  soon  as  possible  made  the  prepa- 
rations necessary  for  his  departure; 
and  with  one  companion  landed  in 
New  York  about  the  middle  of  the 
following  year. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  this  coun- 
try, he  was  ordained  by  the  Rt.  Rev. 
Bishop  Juncker  in  the  Cathedral  of 
Alton,  September  21,  1859,  and  within 
a  few  months  was  assigned  to  his 
first  mission,  the  parish  of  Edwards- 
ville,  Illinois.  His  work  here  was  the 
difficult  and  arduous  work  of  all  the 
Catholic  priests  of  southern  Illinois 
in  the  early  part  of  the  latter  half  of 
the  last  century.  He  continued  work- 
ing in  the  smaller  parishes  of  the  dio- 
cese until  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1870,  when  the  newly  consecrated 
Bishop  Baltes  appointed  him  his  suc- 
cessor at  St.  Peter's  Church,  Belle- 
ville, Illinois.  In  this  congregation  he 
labored  indefatigably  for  thirteen 
years,  doing  at  times  the  work  of 
three  priests.  At  the  end  of  this  time 
he  made  a  journey  to  Rome  (to  set- 
tle an  acrimonious  controversy  which 
had  arisen  between  the  bishop  and 
himself. — Z.)  After  a  sojourn  of  four- 
teen months  at  Rome  he  returned  and 
took  charge  of  a  parish  in  Cairo,  Illi- 
nois, whose  pastor  he  remained  till 
the  close  of  the  year  1886,  when  he 
began  his  successful  work  as  Superior 
of  the  Franciscan  Sisters'  Community 
and  Director  of  St.  John's  Hospital. 

The  person  who  contemplates  today 


the  extensive  building  of  St.  John's 
Hospital,  with  its  clock-work  like 
management,  can  not  even  imagine 
the  difficulties  that  confronted  Father 
Hinssen  when  he  assumed  the  duties 
of  Director.  No  adequate  idea  of  all 
that  his  untiring  labor  did  for  the 
hospital,  and  the  Sisters  of  the  hos- 
pital can  be  given  in  the  small  space 
of  this  brief  sketch.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  his  able  financiering  worked  won- 
ders in  decreasing  the  debt  which 
weighed  heavily  upon  the  sisters.  So 
successful  was  he  that,  aside  from  the 
many  improvements  in  the  hospital 
building-  itself,  and  the  improvements 
and  additions  to  the  branch  houses  in 
other  cities,  the  sisters  were  able 
some  years  ago,  without  any  dread  of 
the  future,  to  build  the  extensive  ad- 
dition to  St.  John's  hospital,  which 
now  adds  beauty  to  the  building  and 
completes  it  on  the  west  side. 

More  than  his  successful  financier- 
ing, however,  we  must  admire  his  ef- 
ficient work  in  bringing  the  nursing 
in  the  institution  up  to  the  scientific 
standard  found  today  in  modern,  well- 
equipped  and  well-managed  hospitals. 
When  Father  Hinssen  was  made 
director  he  was  almost  a  sexagenarian. 
Men  at  this  age  ordinarily  are  so  fixed 
in  their  views  that  it  requires,  to  say 
the  least,  a  strenuous  effort  on  their 
part  to  remain  in  touch  with  the  pro- 
gress made  in  any  field  of  science  and 
art.  They  praise  the  practices  of  their 
own  days  and  are  not  easily  per- 
suaded to  concede  the  good  accom- 
plished by  the  discoveries  and  inven- 
tions of  the  younger  contemporaries 
of  their  old  age.  Not  so  Father  Hins- 
sen. In  spite  of  his  advanced  years, 
and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  was 
reared  and  educated  at  a  time  when 
hospital  work  was  still  in  swaddling 
clothes,  and  most  people  considered 
the  hospital  only  a  place  where  sick 
paupers  might  spend  their  last  miser- 
able days,  Father  Hinssen  with  a 
mind  open  to  progress,  kept  pace  with 
the  rapid  strides  of  improvements 
that  hospitals  were  •  making  both  in 
regard  to  their  architecture  and  man- 
agement, as  well  as  in  the  nursing 
to  be  had  in  them.  He  had  not  occu- 


Page  Fifty-Sev 


pied  his  position  as  Director  very  long 
when  he  saw  the  need  of  a  well  or- 
ganized and  systematized  training 
school,  and  in  spite  of  his  advanced 
age,  he  began  to  work  out  a  plan  for 
such  a  school.  While  thus  engaged 
he  was  confronted  by  a  serious  diffi- 
culty. In  his  search  for  a  text  book, 
he  found  that  there  was  none  in  ex- 
istence that  would  exactly  suit  the 
needs  of  hospital  Sisters.  This  ob- 
stacle, however,  did  not  deter  him 
from  prosecuting  his  undertaking. 
Seeing  that  he  could  not  find  a  suit- 
able text  book,  he  resolved  to  compile 
one.  The  result  was  "The  Nursing 
Sister,"  a  hand  book  for  Sisters  train- 
ing schools,  which  today  is  used  in 
many  of  the  Catholic  hospitals  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  and  which 
has  even  found  its  way  across  the 
ocean  into  some  of  the  hospitals  in 
England.  In  addition  to  the  "Nurs- 
ing Sister"  he  compiled  a  smaller  vol- 
ume, entitled  "Hints  for  the  Clinical 
Record,"  which  serves  as  a  supple- 
ment to  the  former  and  which  met 
with  as  much  success  as  its  predeces- 
sor, the  Hand-book  of  Nursing. 

The  hospital  in  his  charge,  however, 
furnishes  even  better  proof  of  Father 
Hinssen's  ability  to  understand  and 
appreciate  modern  progress,  than  his 
work  for  the  training  school  and  the 
compiling  of  text  books  of  nursing. 
Everybody  knows  that  today  a  hospi- 
tal which  is  not  modern  in  equipment 
and  up-to-date  in  nursing  will  fail  to 
receive  the  patronage  of  the  people, 
and  consequently  will  not  be  able  to 
exist,  especially  in  a  place  where  it 
has  to  meet  the  competition  of  other 
hospitals.  Now  St.  John's  hospital 
not  only  exists  today,  but  at  times  in 
spite  of  its  size  has  not  sufficient  room 
to  accomodate  its  patrons.  The  num- 
ber of  its  patients  has  increased  from 
357  in  1886,  the  year  when  Father 
Hinssen  was  made  Director,  to  1,839 
in  1905,  the  year  of  his  death;  In  1915 
the  number  of  patients  was  4,500.) 

More  need  certainly  not  be  said  to 
show  that  Father  Hinssen  not  only 
understood  well  the  necessity  of  keep- 
ing in  touch  with  modern  progress, 
but  that  he  also,  with  a  mind  fit  to 


appreciate  modern  improvements,  so 
managed  the  hospital  and  directed  the 
Sisters  that  today  St.  John's  hospital 
can  without  fear  of  contradiction  be 
said  to  be  among  the  foremost  hos- 
pitals in  the  State.  During  a  long  life 
of  labor,  vivified  by  zeal  for  the  honor 
of  God  and  the  good  of  his  fellow- 
men,  Father  Hinssen  has  erected  for 
himself  many  a  monument  that  will 
make  his  name  live  long  in  the  mem- 
ory of  those  for  whom  he  worked. 
But  foremost  among  these  monuments 
is  St.  John's  hospital,  for  it  will  pro- 
claim his  praise  to  coming  genera- 
tions, a  praise  that  will  find  its  echo 
in  the  benedictions,  especially  of  all 
those  who  have  and  will  have  the 
good  fortune  to  share  the  kind  care 
and  scientific  treatment  of  the  Sisters 
of  this  hospital. 

A  few  closing  words  on  the  char- 
acter of  the  deceased  will  without 
doubt  find  interested  readers  in  all 
those  who  had  the  pleasure  of  know- 
ing him. 

The  straight  figure  of  the  grey- 
haired  man  of  three  score  and  ten 
that  could  be  seen  daily  on  the  streets 
of  the  city  certainly  yet  lives  in  the 
memory  of  many.  The  carriage  of  the 
man  was  the  index  of  his  character. 
His  erect  head  and  body  may  be  con- 
sidered the  outward  manifestation  of 
the  lofty  ideals  with  which  his  mind 
was  im'bued,  whereas  his  firm  step 
gave  evidence  of  his  inflexible  will  in 
the  pursuance  of  what  he  considered 
true  and  just.  Yet  in  this  unbending 
frame,  which  harbored  a  strong  mind 
and  autrocratic  iron  will,  also  beat  the 
kind  heart  of  a  father.  His  sympathy 
went  out  to  all.  He  was  a  m'an  who 
felt  as  his  own  the  sufferings  and 
troubles  of  his  fellowmen.  No  one  in 
trouble  knocked  in  vain  at  the  door  of 
his  heart,  he  was  sure  to  find  it  the 
source  of  kind  words  of  sympathy  and 
consolation,  and,  if  necessary,  of  sub- 
stantial aid.  Father  Hinssen's  chari- 
ties were  the  cause  of  his  dying  a  poor 
man  as  regards  worldly  possessions. 
His  purpose  in  life  was  not  to  accum- 
ulate riches,  but  to  do  all  the  good 
that  was  in  his  power,  and  to  obtain 


Page  Fifty-Eight 


this    end    he    exerted    himself    to    the 
utmost. 

The  days  of  Father  Hinssen's  life 
were  days  of  labor  to  the  very  end. 
The  world  gave  him  little  of  that 
with  which  she  is  wont  to  reward  her 
votaries.  He  asked  it  not.  His  view 
was  fixed  on  another  realm  a  place 


where,  he  was  firmly  convinced,  a 
reward  would  be  given  him,  in  com- 
parison to  which  all  that  the  world 
can  offer  shrinks  into  insignificance. 
For  this  he  worked,  with  this  con- 
viction he  died,  and  we  may  be  cer- 
tain that  his  labor  was  not  in  vain. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  CORNELIUS  HOFFMANN. 


•'When  my  eyes  are  slowly  closing, 
And   I   fade  from   earth   away, 

And   when    Death,    the   stern   destroyer 
Claims   my   body   as   his   prey, — 

Claim  my  soul,   and  then,   sweet  Mary, 
Ora   pro  me''. 

A  man  of  rare  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart,    forebearing,    gentle   and    sensi- 


tive, such  was  our  subject,  Father 
Hoffman.  Of  frail  constitution  and 
feeble  health,  he  was  wont  to  lead  a 
more  or  less  retired  and  quiet  life, 


chiefly  occupying  himself  with  his 
friends  on  the  library  shelf,  his  books. 
He  was  known  to  be  a  fine  scholar  of 
literary  attainments. 

Rev.  Cornelius  Hoffmann  was  born 
February  15,  1846,  at  Breyel  on  the 
Rhine.  His  studies  were  made  at 
Gaesdonk  and  Muenster  and  were 
finished  at  St.  Francis  Seminary,  Mil- 
waukee, where  he  was  ordained 
March  13,  1869,  by  Bishop  Martin 
Henni,  of  Milwaukee.  He  became  an 
assistant  at  St.  Peter's  parish,  Belle- 
ville, from  March,  1869-June  25,  '69; 
rector  of  Mt.  Sterling  from  June, 
1860-June,  71;  rector  of  St.  Joseph's, 
Cairo,  which  church  he  built,  from 
June  1871-October,  73;  rector  of  St. 
Wendel  and  Newton,  from  October 
1873-October,  76;  assistant  at  St. 
Boniface,  Quincy,  from  August  1878- 
Xovember,  '85;  rector  of  Fayetteville, 
from  November  1885,  at  Bartelso  from 
September,  1889  till  his  death,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1891.  He  was  buried  at  Bar- 
telso. Solemn  obsequies  were  per- 
formed by  Bishop  Janssen  whilst  the 
late  Msgr.  Abbelen  of  Milwaukee,  a 
former  schoolmate  and  lifelong  friend 
of  deceased,  spoke  a  touching  funeral 
sermon.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Fifty-Nine 


REV.  THOMAS  HOGAN. 


"The  'hours  fly  fast; 
With  each  some  sorrow  dies 
With  each  some  shadow  flies, 
Until  at  last 
The  red  dawn  in  the  east 
Bids  weary  night  depart 
And  pain  is  past". 

'Widespread  regret  was  evoked  by 
the  premature  demise  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Hogan,  pastor  of  St.  Peter's  parish 
of  Petersburg,  which  occured  at  the 
parochial  residence,  January  12,  1884. 
The  young  priest  was  but  twenty- 
seven  years  old  when  death  overtook 
him.  Born  at  Oak  Creek,  now  South 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  he  lost  his  parents 
when  yet  a  tender  child.  The  Aemi- 
lianum,  an  orphanage,  located  next  to 
St.  Francis  Seminary,  became  his 
home,  the  devoted  Sisters  his  trusted 
and  loving  friends  and  benefactors 
who  at  all  times  watched  over  his 
growing  years  with  zealous  motherly 
care  and  solicitude.  At  the  proper 
time  in  the  fall  of  1870,  he  entered  as 
student  St.  Francis  Seminary  to 
prepare  himself  for  the  attainment  of 
his  lofty  ideal,  the  priesthood,  and  he 
proved  himself  an  excellent  student. 
By  his  noble  and  gentlemanly  deport- 
ment and  close  application  to  study 
he  won  universal  respect.  The  many 
priests  who  were  school  companions 
of  deceased  entertained  the  highest 
opinion  of  him  and  spoke  enthusias- 
tically of  his  genial  disposition,  his 
solid  piety  and  his  sterling  character. 
On  June  29,  1879,  he  was  ordained 
priest  by  Bishop  Baltes  at  Alton  and 
at  once  appointed  to  the  pastoral 
charge  of  Petersburg  and  its  two  de- 
pendencies, Greenview  and  Ashland. 


With  -characteristic  zeal  the  young 
priest  entered  upon  his  work,  captur- 
ing in  a  short  time  good  the  wishes  of 
every  one.  The  present  handsome  St. 
Augustine  church  of  Ashland  owes  its 
construction  to  the  indefatigable 
Father  Hogan.  Whilst  his  labors  in 
his  sphere  of  action  had  already 
proven  abundantly  fruitful  yet  they 
augured  still  more  so  for  the  future. 
And  with  vim  and  vigor  he  prosecuted 
his  holy  vocation,  when  a  malady 
flung  the  zealous  worker  on  the  couch 
of  sickness.  Medical  aid  did  not  avail 
and  the  young  priest,  not  yet  five 
years  in  the  ministry,  soon  sank  into 
the  slumber  of  death. 

We  were  present  at  the  funeral 
which  took  place  at  St.  Francis  Sem- 
inary in  accordance  with  the  oft  ex- 
pressed wishes  of  deceased.  The  body 
was  accompanied  thither  by  Rev. 
John  Dietrich,  then  an  assistant  at 
Jacksonville.  Obsequies  were  had  in 
the  Seminary  chapel  January  16,  with 
Father  Willmes  of  Milwaukee  as  cele- 
brant and  Revs.  J.  Dietrich  and  Nic 
Thill  as  assistants,  while  Father  Jos. 
Rainer,  then  professor  at  the  Semin- 
ary (of  late  nominated  a  "Notary 
Apostolic"  by  the  Holy  See,  appointed 
a  Vicar  General  of  the  Milwaukee 
diocese  and  who  has  acted  for  years 
Rector  of  the  seminary)  preached  the 
funeral  sermon.  The  remains  were 
interred  in  the  little  cemetery  ad- 
joining the  Chapel  of  the  Woods. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.   HENRY  JOSEPH   HOVEN. 


"Beyond  the  Land, 

Beyond   the    Sea, 
There   shall  be  rest 
For  thee  and  me". 

To  cele'brate  the  "Golden  Sacerdotal 
Jubilee"  is  a  privilege  accorded  to  but 
very  few  priests,  the  majority  are 
gathered  to  their  reward  long  ere  this. 
Such  a  great  commemorative  day  was 
reserved  for  Rev.  H.  J.  Hoven,  when 
in  the  fall  of  1911,  he  celebrated  the 
50th  anniversary  of  his  ordination  to 

Page  Sixty 


the  priesthood.  Whoever  saw  and  wit- 
nessed the  solemn  ceremonies  on  that 
day  at  the  Immaculate  Conception 
church  of  Springfield,  was  surely  sur- 
prised how  the  aged  priest,  still  vig- 
orous and  robust,  had  so  well  out- 
lived, nay,  by  far  surpassed  the  bibli- 
cal age  of  three  score  and  ten.  And 
yet  Divine  Providence  had  still  three 
more  years  in  store  for  him.  It  was 
on  June  9,  1914,  that  Father  Hoven 


peacefully  slumbered  away  at  his  pri- 
vate residence  in  Carlinville,  at  the 
age  of  79  years.  There  he  was  buried. 

The  departed  jubilarian  was  born  at 
Kirspenich,  in  the  Diocese  of  Cologne, 
June  8,  1835,  arrived  in  the  States  in 
June,  1861,  and  received  Holy  Orders 
at  Alton,  November  24,  1861,  from 
Bishop  Juncker.  From  the  day  of  his 
ordination  to  that  of  his  death,  he  was 
always  and  everywhere  faithful  and 
exact  in  his  duties.  His  first  mission 
was  Ste.  Marie,  from  whence  he  was 
sent  to  Marshall,  where  he  laid  the 
foundation  for  the  present  handsome 
church.  From  Marshall  he  attended 
Paris,  North  Arm  and  Charleston,  a 
territory  embracing  three  counties. 
From  that  laborious  mission  he  was 
transferred  to  Jerseyville  on  March 
26,  1865,  where  his  health  began  to  fail 
under  the  constant  strain.  At  this 
time  he  absented  himself  from  the 
diocese  for  awhile.  On  his  return  he 
was  appointed  to  Carlinville  with  in- 
structions to  rebuild  the  church  which 
had  been  destroyed  by  a  storm  and 
also  to  erect  a  new  church  for  the 
German  Catholics  of  the  place,  St.  Jo- 
seph's. His  next  incumbency  was 
Pittsfield,  1878-'80,  then  Pana  and 


Shelbyville.  From  the  latter  place  de- 
ceased was  transferred  to  Carrollton, 
1892-1903.  Finally  he  was  moved  back 
to  Carlinville  where  he  spent  two 
years  as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's,  and  two 
years  and  three  months  as  pastor  of 
St.  Joseph's  church.  When  by  the 
death  of  Father  Schlegel  a  vacancy 
occurred  in  the  parish  of  Highland, 
Father  Hoven  was  designated  his  suc- 
cessor but  declined  the  offer;  instead 
he  became  pastor  of  Morrisonville  and 
later  a  little  while  pastor  of  Ray- 
mond. His  "Golden  Jubilee"  was  cele- 
brated October  17,  1911.  During  the 
latter  years  of  his  life  his  health  had 
gradually  been  failing,  and  during  two 
seasons  he  sought  the  quiet  retreat  in 
St.  Mary's  hospital  of  Quincy. 

Old  in  years,  rich  in  merit,  loved  by 
his  brother  priests  and  respected  by 
the  laity,  he  obeyed  the  final  call  of 
the  Master  whom  he  had  ever  served 
faithfully. 

Father-  Hoven  was  a  fine  English 
scholar,  a  man  of  reserve  and  retire- 
ment, a  pattern  of  tidiness  and  neat 
appearance.  Besides  being  a  zealous 
priest  he  had  the  reputation  of  an  ac- 
complished musician  and  skillful  or- 
ganist. May  his  soul  rest  in  peace! 


REV.  LAWRENCE  HOYE. 


''The  hours  are  flying; 
Each   one   some   treasure   takes, 
Each  one  some  blossom  breaks, 
And  leaves  it  dying". 

Brown's  Settlement  in  Christian 
county  had  the  honor  and  privilege  of 
harboring  from  1889-98  a  conspicuous 
though  humble  and  unassuming  pas- 
tor in  the  person  of  Rev.  Father  Law- 
rence Hoye.  A  ripe  scholar  of  bril- 
liant attainments  was  he,  one  who  had 
distinguished  himself  for  many  years 
of  his  priestly  career  an  eminent  in- 
structor and  had  occupied  a  profes- 
sor's chair  in  various  seats  of  learning. 
He  who  for  years  had  associated  with 
men  of  great  worth  and  prominence 
had  come  to  seek  the  quiet  and  repose- 
ful environments  of  St.  Isidore's 
there  to  spend  the  declining  years  of 
his  priestly  life  preparatory  to  the 
last  summons.  Physical  infirmaries  to- 
gether with  old  age  demanded  an  ab- 


solute relinquishment  of  any  further 
strenuous  efforts  or  new  undertak- 
ings. 

His  was  a  golden  heart,  at  all  times 
kind,  gentle  and  courteous.  Serene 
and  happy  amid  rural  surroundings 
highly  esteemed  by  his  confreres  and 
possessing  the  unqualified  love  and 
veneration  of  this  sturdy  community, 
the  aged  rector  appeared  to  be  the 
personification  of  contentment.  Such 
at  least  was  the  impression  the  dear 
old  man  made  upon  me  when  an  oc- 
casional visit  led  me  to  his  secluded 
hermitage. 

Sincerely  mourned  by  all,  Father 
Hoyne  peacefully  passed  away  on 
February  20,  1898,  at  St.  Isidore's  rec- 
tory. 

The  funeral  took  place  from  St. 
Agnes  Church,  Springfield,  (Rev.  J.  J. 


Page  Sixty -One 


Howard,  D.  D.  pastor)  from  which  he 
wished  to  be  buried.  Bishop  Ryan 
pontificated  at  the  solemn  obsequies 
and  Rev.  Ferdinand  Stick,  then  pastor 
of  Morrisonville,  pronounced  the  fun- 
eral oration.  His  body  rests  in  the 
Springfield  Catholic  cemetery. 

Father  Hoyne  was  a  native  of  the 
Emerald  Isle,  coming  to  this  country 
when  quite  young.  In  the  Eastern 
states  where  he  frequented  the  schools 
he  received  a  thorough  literary  and 
scientific  education.  He  was  on  inti- 
mate terms  with  Archbishop  Hughes 
and  came  West  with  Bishop  Quarter, 
of  Chicago. 

In  1847  we  find  him  a  sub-deacon 
studying  Theology  at  the  Chicago 
Catholic  University,  where  two  years 
later  he  occupied  the  chair  of  Philos- 
ophy, Mathematics  and  French  whilst 
Mr.  J.  P.  Baltes,  the  future  Bishop  of 
Alton,  taught  German  Literature.  In 
1851  Father  Hoye  was  prefect  of  the 
Seminary. 

Afterwards  we  find  him  associated 
with  the  late  Bishop  McFaul  of 


Rochester,  in  Seaton  Hall  College  and 
Seminary.  One  of  his  scholars  who 
subsequently  rose  to  national  fame, 
was  John  Gilmary  Shea,  the  eminent 
historian,  whose  graduating  diploma 
he  signed.  Though  a  scholar  of  the 
first  water.  Father  Hoye  was  as  shy 
and  modest  as  he  was  learned.  He 
showed  the  earnestness  of  his  zeal  by 
attending  the  cholera  patients  in 
Chicago  in  1849. 

When  Bishop  Baltes  was  appointed 
to  the  See  of  Alton,  his  old  friend 
returned  West  to  share  his  labors.  He 
was  appointed  to  St.  Patrick's  church, 
Ruma,  Randolph  county,  at  the  same 
time  teaching  in  the  Diocesan  Semin- 
ary located  there.  From  1874-78  he 
acted  as  pastor  of  Pittsfield,  moving 
thence  to  Carlinville,  where  he  built 
the  St.  Mary's  parochial  residence.  In 
view  of  granting  the  now  aged  man 
in  a  quiet  country  place  the  much 
needed  rest,  Bishop  Ryan  sent  him 
to  Brown's  Settlement.  In  March, 
1889,  as  above  stated,  this  saintly  little 
man  died.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  MICHAEL  HURLEY. 

Bishop-elect  of  Peoria,  1875. 


'  'The    fret,    and    the    strife    and    the    burden 
Will  be  softened  and  laid  away". 


A  quondam  pastor  of  the  Church  of 


the  Immaculate  Conception  of  Spring- 
field, was  Rev.  M.  Hurley,  having 
been  appointed  to  the  position  in 
1854.  He  succeeded  Rev.  Michael 
Prendergast.  Owing  to  the  briefness 
of  his  stay  of  but  a  few  months, 
which  were  rather  void  of  any  nota- 
ble achievements,  we  would  be  temp- 
ted to  be  satisfied  with  the  mere  men- 
tion of  this  short  incumbency  were  it 
not  for  the  important  fact  that  the 
erstwhile  Springfield  pastor  had  been 
chosen  by  the  Holy  See  to  become 
first  Bishop  of  Peoria.  This  new  dio- 
cese was  created  in  1875,  by  a  sub- 
division of  the  Chicago  diocese. 
Father  Hurley  was  at  the  time  pastor 
of  St.  Patrick's  church  of  Peoria.  He 
had  been  pastor  of  all  the  English 
speaking  Catholics  of  the  city,  St. 
Mary's  since  1864,  and  when  the 
parish  was  divided  in  1868  had  chosen 
the  new  St.  Patrick's  parish  in  which 
to  continue  his  labors.  While  he  was 


Page  Sixty -Two 


by  virtue  of  location  and  his  know- 
ledge of  the  new  diocese,  the  most 
available  candidate  for  the  position, 
he  modestly  and  humbly  signified  his 
wishes  to  the  Holy  See,  at  the  same 
time  returning  the  bulls  of  appoint- 
ment. Singularly  his  declination  and 
the  bulls  never  reached  Rome,  but 
went  down  off,  the  coast  of  France  in 
a  vessel  lost  at  sea.  Pope  Pius  IX 
and  the  Prepaganda  were  advised 
from  other  sources  of  the  state  of 
affairs  and  on  November  28,  1876, 
Rev.  John  Lancaster  Spalding  was 
appointed  Bishop  of  the  new  See. 


Father  Michael  Hurley  built  the 
present  St.  Patrick's  church  of  Peoria 
in  1878,  and  erected  a  commodious 
brick  school  house  in  1888. 

He  was  born  in  Tipperary,  Ireland, 
in  the  year  1826.  His  education  was 
completed  at  Dublin,  where  he  was 
raised  to  the  priesthood.  Coming 
to  this  country  he  labored  as  priest 
in  Lockport,  Bloomington  and  Spring- 
field before  coming  to  Peoria  as  pastor 
of  St.  Patrick's  church  in  1864.  His 
death  occured  at  Peoria  on  December 
11,  1892.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  FRANCIS  H.  HUSSEY. 


"Let  us  revere  the  power  of  the  Unseen 
And  know  a  world  of  mystery  is  near". 

On  November  18,  1914,  a  young  dio- 
cesan priest  breathed  his  last  in 
Providence,  R.  I.  It  was  Father 
Francis  H.  Hussey.  After  his  ordina- 
tion in  Buffalo,  February  29,  1896,  he 
acted  as  assistant  at  St.  Peter's  church 
of  Quincy,  after  which  he  was  made 
pastor  of  the  parish  of  Bloomfield  in 
1898,  to  be  transferred  the  next  year, 
in  1899,  to  Virden.  The  latter  place 
he  relinquished  after  a  few  years  in- 
cumbency for  that  of  New  Douglas. 
Failing  in  health  Father  Hussey  went 


to  Beresford,  South  Dakota.  In  Au- 
gust, 1914,  he  returned  to  his  former 
home  in  Central  Falls.  R.  I.,  in  hopes 
that  a  rest  would  enable  him  to  regain 
his  lost  health.  He  died  from  cerebral 
hemorrhage  at  his  sister's  house  in 
Providence  on  above  mentioned  date. 
His  funeral  took  place  from  Holy 
Trinity  Church  of  Central  Falls,  R.  I., 
Nov.  21,  1914. 

Father  F.  H.  Hussey  was  the  son  of 
John  and  Catherine  (McDermott) 
Hussey,  and  was  born  in  Albion,  R. 
I.,  October  2,  1869.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  ADOLPHUS  JACQUES. 


"Then  strange  words  upon  the  silence  broke, 
And  I  listened  as  the  Angels   spoke". 

Among  the  brave  band  of  early 
missionaries  whose  coming  hither  was 
more  or  less  contemporaneous  with 
the  advent  of  the  First  Bishop  of 
Alton,  Rt.  Rev.  Damian  Junker,  D. 
D.,  were  a  number  of  zealous  apos- 
tolic men  from  France.  Here  as 
everywhere  else  they  performed  yeo- 
man work,  they  were  truly  pathfinders 
and  trail-blazers  who  left  in  their  wake 
many  a  grateful  heart  to  bless  their 
memory. 

In  looking  over  the  accounts  of  the 
pioneer  work  accomplished  by  these 
heroic  men  we  encounter  such  names 
as  Gonant,  Dubois,  Bedard,  Laurent, 
Recouvreur,  Zabel,  Jacques  and  others 
equally  distinguished.  With  a  single 


exception,  these  men  have  all  passed 
away  from  the  scenes  of  their  ex- 
ploits, all  have  received  from  the 
Master  of  the  great  vine  yard  in  which 
indefatigably  they  toiled  and  moiled 
through  so  many  years  from  early 
till  late  merited  compensation. 

From  the  above  mentioned  list  we 
single  out  one  whose  tragic  ending 
elicited  at  the  time  universal  sympa- 
thy and  sorrow,  namely,  Rev.  Father 
A.  Jacques.  In  detailing  his  life  and 
activity  in  the  Alton  diocese,  we  turn 
for  information  to  the  columns  of  the 
"New  World,"  where  the  following 
narrative  is  thus  related.  It  reads: 

Rev.  John  Adolphus  Jacques  was 
born  in  1836  at  Buriville,  diocese  of 
Nancy,  France.  He  made  his  classical 

Page  Sixty-Three 


course  at  the  Seminary  of  Pona- 
Mousson  and  his  philosophical  and 
theological  studies  at  the  Great  Sem- 
inary of  Nancy,  leading  his  class  in 
both  establishments.  After  spending 
a  few  months  at  All  Hallows'  College 
in  Ireland  he  came  over  to  America 
with  Bishop  Junker  and  was  ordained 
by  him  on  the  3rd  of  May,  1859. 

After  assisting  for  awhile  at  St. 
Mary's,  Springfield,  he  was  sent  suc- 
cessively to  Shawneetown,  Kaskas- 
kia,  Paris,  Virginia,  Beardstown  1867- 
68  and  then  to  Assumption  where  he 
did  very  good  work.  Two  years  be- 
fore his  coming  thither  a  general  sub- 
scription had  been  taken  up  for  the 
building  of  a  new  church,  but  nothing 
was  accomplished  until  he  came.  In 
the  fall  of  1869  the  corner-stone  of 
the  new  building  was  laid  by  Ad- 
ministrator P.  J.  Baltes;  Rev.  D.  S. 
Phelan,  the  late  well  known  editor  of 
the  Western  Watchman,  of  St.  Louis, 
preaching  the  English  and  Rev.  F.  H. 
Zabel,  D.  D.,  the  French  sermon. 
Fairs  and  subscriptions  supplied  the 
means.  It  took  until  the  year  1872 
to  have  the  building  under  roof. 

In  1874,  Father  Jacques  finding  the 


congregation  unwilling  to  supply  him 
with  a  becoming  residence,  left  and 
went  to  Shelbyville,  though  still  at- 
tending Assumption.  This  move 
stirred  up  the  people  who  at  once 
built  a  house. 

When  Father  Jacques  left  Shelby- 
ville he  was  sent  to  Cahokia,  at  the 
same  time  attending  Centerville  Sta- 
tion. In  the  heated  term  of  July, 
1878,  he  was  compelled  to  travel  from 
Centerville  to  Cahokia  in  an  open 
wagon  under  the  mid-day  broiling 
sun  to  attend  the  funeral  of  a  child. 
As  he  reached  home,  he  felt  prostra- 
ted, had  no  one  to  help  him  in  his 
sad  condition,  and  expired  unattended, 
being  found  two  days  afterwards,  July 
17,  dead,  a  martyr  to  priestly  duty. 
His  body,  swollen  beyond  measure, 
was  buried  in  the  village  graveyard 
by  Rev.  P.  J.  O'Halloran  and  Rev. 
Chris  Koenig,  both  of  East  St.  Louis. 

Father  Jacques  was  a  refined 
scholar,  a  writer  of  uncommon  merit, 
as  honorable  as  he  was  eccentric.  His 
delight  was  to  impart  religious  in- 
struction to  the  rising-generation, 
thus  planting  the  seeds  for  future 
harvest.  R.  I.  P. 


V.  REV.  JOHN  JANSSEN,  V.  G. 


"What  words  can  speak  the  joy 

For  thee  in  store  ? 
What  smiles  of  earth  can  tell 

Of    peace    like    thine? 
Silence  and  tears   are  best 

For  things  divine". 

'Very  Rev.  John  Janssen,  V.  G. 
(late  Bishop  of  Belleville),  was  born 
March  3,  1835,  at  Keppeln,  Rhine- 
land.  He  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  parochial  schools  of  his 
native  town  and  pursued  the  higher 
studies,  classics  and  theology,  partly 
at  Gaesdonck,  partly  at  Muenster. 
When  he  had  almost  finished  the  the- 
ological course,  the  young  ecclesiastic 
decided  to  come  to  America.  On 
November  19,  1858,  Bishop  Juncker 
conferred  Holy  Orders  on  him  in  the 
Cathedral  church  of  Alton.  Our  neo- 
presbyter  was  assigned  to  old  St. 
John's  church  of  Springfield.  (This 
has  since  ceased  to  exist  and  in  its 
place  the  present  St.  Peter  and  Paul's 
church  and  parish  were  built.)  Besides 

Page  Sixty-Four 


being  pastor  of  the  Springfield  congre- 
gation he  likewise  extended  his  pas- 
toral care  over  the  parish  of  New 
Berlin.  Next  we  find  him  in  the  chan- 
cellor's office  and  a  few  years  later 
he  is  made  Vicar  General  of  the  dio- 
cese, which  position  he  retained  till 
elevated  to  the  episcopacy.  On  Sep- 
tember 1st,  1877-December  31st,  1879, 
Father  Janssen  acted  as  pastor  of  St. 
Boniface  parish  of  Q  u  i  n  c  y,  after 
which  he  was  appointed  rector  of  the 
Cathedral  parish  of  Alton.  At  the 
death  of  Bishop  Baltes,  which  oc- 
cured  February  18,  1886,  Archbishop 
Feehan  of  Chicago  made  him  an  ad- 
ministrator of  the  diocese  (sede  va- 
cante,)  and  after  its  division  on  Janu- 
ary 7,  1887,  also  administrator  of  the 
new  See  of  Belleville.  On  the  28th 
day  of  February  he  was  chosen  by 
Rome  to  become  the  first  Bishop  of 
the  newly  created  southern  diocese 


and  received  the  episcopal  consecra- 
tion at  St.  Peter's  Cathedral  of  Belle- 
ville on  April  25,  of  the  same  year. 

Father  Janssen  was  a  man  of  gentle 
and  amiable  disposition.  His  priestly 
career  as  pastor  was  rather  unevent- 
ful; as  chancellor  and  Bishop's  secre- 


tary, he  was  known  to  be  very  prompt 
and  accurate;  as  Vicar  General  and 
Administrator,  wise  and  prudent. 

He  died  July  2,  1913.  His  remains 
were  sepulchred  in  a  vault  beneath 
the  sanctuary  in  St.  Peter's  Cathedral 
of  Belleville.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOSEPH  JELE. 


"Gone    to    the    beautiful    city    above 
To  rest  in  the  bocom  of  infinite  love". 

From  among  the  visions  of  the  past 
there  arises  before  me  in  the  con- 
tours of  imagined  reality  the  great, 
bulky  figure  of  a  generous  and  ten- 
der-hearted man,  one  whose  principal 


fault,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  was  a 
tendency  of  over-communicativeness; 
it  is  Rev.  Joseph  Jele,  simple,  kind, 
child-like  man.  Born  in  wonderful 
Alpine  Tyrol,  September  4,  1850,  he 
joined  in  the  early  days  of  his  young 
manhood  the  Capuchin  Friars,  who 
are  particularly  numerous  in  his 
native  land,  and  was  ordained  to  the 


priesthood  during  Eastertide,  1876. 
As  professed  religious  he  was  known 
by  the  name  of  Father  Angelus.  O. 
M.  Cap.  As  such  he  taught  for  a 
number  of  years  at  the  St.  Lawrence 
Capuchin  College,  of  Mt.  Calvary, 
Fond  du  Lac  Co.  Wisconsin,  where 
he  enjoyed  the  universal  esteem  and 
love  of  the  college  boys.  When  in 
1884  he  applied  for  permission  to  join 
the  secular  clergy  and  having  obtained 
the  permit  from  the  Superior  General 
of  the  Capuchins  at  Rome,  Bishop 
Baltes  assigned  him  assistant  to 
Father  Meckel  of  St.  Paul's  church  of 
Highland,  there  to  look  after  the  in- 
terests of  the  various  out-missions 
then  connected  with  Highland,  viz: 
Pocahontas,  St.  Jacob,  Troy  and  Black 
Jack.  He  was  of  a  rather  impetuous 
and  impulsive  zealousness  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  work. 

In  September,  1888,  Father  Jele  was 
transferred  to  Springfield,  there  to 
assist  Rev.  A.  J.  Pennartz,  in  the  work 
at  'St.  Peter  and  Paul's  parish,  where 
he  was  likewise  successfully  active. 
In  less  than  two  years,  however,  he 
was  stricken  down  with  illness  which 
within  a  few  days  terminated  fatally 
for  the  then  still  young  priest.  April 
26,  1890.  His  body  was  sepulchred  on 
Tuesday,  April  29,  followed  to  its 
last  resting  place  in  the  priest's  lot 
by  many  mourning  parishioners  and 
a  number  of  brother  priests.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Sixty-Five 


REV.   HERMAN   JOSEPH   FRANCIS   JUNGMANN. 


"The   time   of    toil   is   past,     and    night   has 

come 

The    last    and    saddest   of    the    harvest    eves. 
Worn   out  with  labor  long  and  wearisome 
Drooping  and  faint,  the  reapers  hasten  home 
Each  laden  with  his   sheave". 

When  Rev.  F.  Metzger,  the  then 
newly  appointed  pastor  of  St.  An- 
thony's parish  of  Effingham  and  dean 
of  that  district  had  unexpectedly  died 


whilst  visiting  at  his  boyhood  home  in 
Germany,  Rev.  H.  Jungmann  was 
selected  his  successor  to  fill  the  vacan- 
cy. At  the  time  of  this  appointment 
he  was  stationed  in  the  Southern  part 
of  the  diocese,  at  Murphysboro,  with 
jurisdiction  over  the  neighboring 
towns.  How  judiciously  the  selection 
of  Father  Jungmann  to  the  vacant 
post  of  Effingham  was  made,  his 
splendid  administration  of  parish 
affairs,  both  temporal  and  spiritual, 
fully  demonstrated.  For  eighteen 
years  St.  Anthony's  pastor  served  his 
congregation  most  efficiently.  It  was 
done  in  a  quiet,  unobstructive  manner. 
The  secret  of  his  success  was  his 

Page  Sixty-Six 


kindness,  modesty  and  charity.  Har- 
mony and  peace  reigned  within  the 
parish,  hence  great  results  were 
scored.  In  this  connection  we  quote 
the  following  from  the  columns  of  the 
Effingham  Democrat  of  April  6.  1895: 

"The  members  of  St.  Anthony's  con- 
gregation are  sensible  of  the  great 
work  done  by  Father  Jungmann,  their 
priest  and  pastor,  whose  ministrations 
towards  his  flock  were  ever  full  of 
that  fervor  and  zeal  which  character- 
ized his  life  as  a  faithful  and  devoted 
priest  and  which  earned  and  main- 
tained that  love  and  respect  of  all  in 
the  communities  in  which  he  labored. 
Father  Jungmann  will  be  long  re- 
membered in  Effingham.  The  mater- 
ial monuments  which  speak  of  his  18 
years  of  labor  in  this  community  may 
crumble  into  dust  but  the  influence  of 
his  zealous,  self-sacrificing  work  will 
endure.  Fearless  in  the  pulpit,  tire- 
less in  labor,  he  was  the  advisor, 
teacher  and  model  of  his  flock.  When 
he  took  charge  of  the  Effingham  con- 
gregation he  found  an  indebtedness  of 
$17,000  to  meet.  So  well  he  managed 
the  finances  that  at  his  death  there 
would  have  been  practically  no  debt 
had  not  extensive  improvements  been 
made  in  1884  and  1885.  During  these 
years  several  thousands  of  dollars 
have  been  spent  upon  the  church;  and 
the  fine  parochial  school  house  and 
residence  have  been  built.  Never  in 
the  city  has  there  been  a  more  largely 
attended  funeral.  Father  Jungmann 
had  earned  the  love  and  respect  of 
all  classes." 

Father  H.  J.  F.  Jungmann  was  born 
October  1,  1846,  at  Ochtrup  in  West- 
phalia, of  a  pious  family,  which  gave 
to  the  church  three  priests,  two  of 
whom  distinguished  themselves  as 
professors  and  authors,  both  gradu- 
ates of  the  Roman  College,  one  a 
Jesuit,  professor  of  sacred  eloquence 
at  the  Insbruck  University,  and  the 
other  professor  of  Church  History  at 
the  Louvain  University.  After  previous 
studies  made  in  Westphalia,  Father 
Jungmann  repaired  to  the  American 


College  of  Louvain,  where  he  studied 
for  the  diocese  of  Alton.  Ordained 
to  the  priesthood  December  23,  1871, 
at  Malines,  he  started  for  the  future 
field  of  his  labors  the  following  Sep- 
tember. Wherever  he  was,  he  edified 
all  by  his  sincere  piety  and  zeal,  espe- 


cially in  the  training  of  the  young — 
the  hope  of  the  Church. 

Good  Father  Jungmann  was  called 
to  his  reward  on  April  6,  1895,  and 
slumbers  in  the  shadow  of  the  cross 
in  St.  Anthony's  cemetery  of  Effing- 
ham.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   MANASSES   KANE. 


"Here    the    scene    ends!       The    shadows    flee 

away! 

And   morning   breaks    in    everlasting   day! 
O   what   a    contrast!    What  ecstatic   bliss 
On  passing  thither  from  a  world  like  this!" 

In  the  list  of  our  Cathedral  rectors 
we  find  the  name  of  Rev.  Manasses 
Kane  enumerated.  He  was  called 
thither  from  Macon,  where  he  had  re- 
sided from  1874-75,  and  served  in  the 
capacity  of  Cathedral  pastor  from 
1875-76.  At  this  time  steps  were  con- 
templated for  the  founding  of  a  new 
parish  in  Springfield.  The  Ursuline 
Academy  there  had  for  years  been  in  a 
flourishing  condition,  the  city  had  de- 
veloped with  strides  and  bounds  in 
that  direction  so  that  a  "crying  need" 
was  felt  for  a  new  parish.  It  was  to 
be  St.  Joseph's  and  Father  Kane  its 
founder  and  first  pastor.  The  good 
man  performed  laudable  work  and  put 
up  a  fine  church.  During  his  pastor- 
ate of  St.  Joseph's  the  energetic 
priest  looked  likewise  after  the  in- 


terests of  St.  Mary's  of  Illiopolis, 
where  he  enlarged  the  little  frame 
church  by  adding  an  addition  to  it  so 
as  to  accomodate  the  seventy-five 
families  forming  the  parish.  Father 
Kane  remained  at  the  head  of  St. 
Joseph's  of  Springfield  from  its  in- 
ception in  1876  till  his  retirement  in 
1881. 

Rev.  Mannasses  Kane  was  born  in 
Banagher  Diocese  of  Derry,  Ireland, 
in  January,  1836,  and  was  raised  to  the 
priesthood  at  Montreal,  Dec.  17,  1870. 
After  relinquishing  St.  Joseph's. 
Father  Kane  went  West,  subsequent- 
ly became  a  Trappist  and  died  in  1914 
at  Long  Point  near  Montreal. 

Before  deceased  took  up  studies  for 
the  priesthood  he  had  been  a  Brother 
of  the  Holy  Cross  Community,  a 
teaching  order  connected  with  the 
great  educational  institution  of  Notre 
Dame,  Ind.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  PATRICK  KEARNEY. 


"Where   the   golden   evening   light   was   burn- 
ing". 

All  that  is  known  of  Father  Kear- 
ney is  that  from  1865-'66,  he  was  pas- 
tor of  St.  Mary's  at  Pittsfield,  from 


1866-'69  pastor  at  Winchester,  and 
from  1869-70  at  Mt.  Sterling.  Whence 
he  came  and  whither  he  went  is  a 
question  that  awaits  solution. 


Page  Sixty-Seven 


REV.  J.  P.  KERR. 

Among  the  church's  priests  who  dis- 
tinguished themselves  by  ever  faith- 
fully attending  to  their  entrusted 
stewardship,  Rev.  John  Patrick  Kerr, 
for  twenty-one  years  pastor  of  St. 
Peter's  parish  of  Quincy,  occupies  a 
promin  entplace.  When  death  claimed 
him,  the  members  of  St.  Peter's  con- 


gregation sincerely  mourned  because 
deprived  of  a  loyal  friend,  safe  guide 
and  exemplary  shepherd,  the  com- 
munity had  lost  a  good  and  upright 
citizen. 

On  the  morning  after  his  demise,  a 
local  paper  had  the  following  "In 
Memoriam"  penned  by  a  brother 
priest: 

"When  death  invaded  the  St.  Peter's 
presbytery  on  last  evening  summon- 
ing the  pastor  of  his  flock  away  from 
the  scene  of  his  many  year's  ministra- 
tions and  activities,  many  a  heart  was 
overpowered  with  sincerest,  genuine 
sadness  at  the  mournful  intelligence 
for  he  whose  demise  was  the  cause 
of  so  much  regret  was  an  exemplary 
good  man. 

"Ever  since  his  ordination  to  the 
priesthood,  Rev.  Father  J.  P.  Kerr 

Page  Sixty-Eight 


has  proven  himself  a  faithful  worker 
in  the  cause  of  his  Master,  eschewing 
notoriety  and  publicity — but  in  a 
quiet,  unassuming  way  conscientious- 
ly complying  with  his  sacerdotal 
pastoral  duties.  True  to  his  calling 
his  every  word  and  deed  was  calcu- 
lated to  stimulate  the  weak  to  action 
and  the  strong  to  perseverance  to 
bless  and  to  uplift.  The  duty  of  the 
hour  claimed  and  received  all  his  at- 
tention, he  spent  himself  in  earnest, 
persevering  labor  in  an  humble, 
modest  and  kindly  way. 

To  his  superiors  in  authority  he 
showed  forever  a  loyal  heart  and 
submissive  will,  to  his  clerical  friends, 
a  companionable  disposition. 

"His  late  years  have  been  years  of 
suffering  patiently  borne.  The  cross 
was  his  solace,  and  no  doubt  he  of- 
fered his  sufferings  in  unison  with 
those  of  his  Master  for  whom  he 
spent  the  toilsome  years  of  his  minis- 
try. And  the  evening  found  him  still 
working.  He  would  work  until  the 
lassitude  of  a  fatal  malady  at  last  laid 
him  prostrate.  His  work  was  well 
done,  and  the  Master  called  him  to 
his  reward.  His  day-star  has  risen  to 
set  no  more  for  him." 

The  following  poem,  a  tribute  to  the 
late  Father  Kerr,  appeared  in  a  local 
paper: 

Farewell,    but   not   for   aye,   kind   friend 

Firm   faith   and  hope   once   more 

Shall  reunite  our  friendship's  bonds 

More   closely   than   before. 

Where    suns   of   glory   never   set, 

Where  souls  of  mortals  never  fret, 

On  that  bright  shore 

For  evermore. 

Firm   faith   and   hope   thy   heart   upheld 

When  life  waned  on  thy  sight, 

Amid    the    tumult    of    the    sea 

They  steered   thy  barque   aright, 

And  led  thee  to  the  roadsted  mild 

Where  thou  wert  welcomed  as  tfod's   child 

To    heaven's    shore 

For   evermore  I 

Rev.  John  P.  Kerr  was  born  De- 
cember 29,  1843,  in  Enniskillen,  Ire- 
land. At  the  age  of  24  he  came  to 
America  and  was  raised  to  the  priest- 
hood March  19,  1875,  by  the  Rt.  Rev. 
P.  J.  Baltes,  second  Bishop  of  Alton. 
Among  the  various  parishes  which 
he  successively  presided  over  were 
Bloomfield,  in  Adams  county,  Brown  s 
Settlement,  in  Montgomery  county, 
Carlinville,  and  finally  St.  Peter's  in 
Quincy,  to  which  latter  position  he 


was  appointed  upon  the  death  of  his 
predecessor  Rev  P.  McGirr  in  1893. 
On  the  death  of  Rev.  Michael  Weis 
which  occured  November  9,  1909, 
Father  Kerr  succeeded  him  as  Dean 
of  the  Quincy  Deanery.  For  many 
years  he  had  been  in  poor,  feeble 
health;  various  trips  to  Ireland,  his 


native  country,  and  to  sunny  Florida 
for  the  sake  of  recuperation,  were  in 
vain.  A  complication  of  diseases  de- 
veloped which  hastened  his  death  on 
March  2,  1914.  Among  other  legacies 
and  charitable  bequests  the  thought- 
ful man  willed  the  sum  of  $10,000  to 
St.  Peter's  parish.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  ANTON  KERSTING. 


"The  flash   that   struck   thy  tree 
No  more   to   shelter  thee    . 


Coming  to  this  country  and  dio- 
cese in  1881  from  Germany,  Rev. 
Anton  Kersting  was  ordered  to  assist 
the  pastor  of  St.  Paul's  church  of 
Highland.  Possessed  of  fervor  and 
enthusiasm  for  his  holy  calling,  our 
young  assistant  priest  gathered  before 
long  a  nucleus  of  a  promising  future 
congregation  at  Troy.  Divine  service 
was  temporarily  held  in  a  small  rented 
hall  until  1883,  when  a  modest  little 
frame  church  took  its  place.  In 
Black  Jack,  another  mission  connected 
with  Highland  at  the  time  the  young 
priest  succeeded  in  putting  up  a  neat 
brick  church.  His  continuance  in 
Highland,  however,  was  soon  to  ter- 
minate. Father  Kersting  asked  for 
and  was  given  an  indefinite  leave  of 
absence.  He  repaired  to  his  native 
country  from  whence  he  failed  to 
return.  His  death  there  was  chroni- 
cled in  recent  years.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  PETER  KLEIN. 


"Fast  and  deep   the   river  floweth, 
Floweth  to  the  West". 

This  aged,  venerable  priest  claimed 


Saargemuend,    in    Lorraine   his   birth- 
place.    There    he    was    born    May    17, 


1822.  Having  duly  prepared  himself 
for  his  lofty  vocation  in  the  schools 
and  Seminary  of  Metz,  he  received 
Holy  Orders  June  6,  1846  and  arrived 
in  the  States  September  20,  1853.  Pre- 
vious to  his  departure  from  his  native 
land  the  young  priest  had  been  sta- 
tioned as  teacher  in  various  colleges. 
He  was  appointed  April  4,  1867,  to  the 
parish  of  Carrollton.  He  found  a 
heavy  church  debt  to  contend  with 
but  by  contsant  exertions  succeeded 
in  paying  it  off.  His  subsequent  ap- 
pointment was  to  the  pastorate  of 
French  Village,  where  he  worked 
faithfully  from  August  17,  1871,  till 
November,  1890.  Partially  paralyzed, 
he  retired  to  St.  Mary's  hospital  of 
East  St.  Louis,  where  he  died  August 
9,  1896.  His  remains  were  interred 
in  Holy  Cross  cemetery.  R.  I.  P. 

Page  Sixty-Nine 


VERY  REV.  P.   MAURITIUS  KLOSTERMANN,  0.  F.  M. 


"I  heard  a  promise  gently  fall 
I  heard  a   far-off  Shepherd  call 
The   weary    and    the    broken-hearted 
Promising   rest   unto    each    and   all.' ' 

The  greatest  and  noblest  of  all  dio- 
cesan Franciscan  priests,  one  who 
most  earnestly  worked  for  and  gladly 
spent  his  energies  both  physical  and 
mental  in  the  upbuilding  of  our  dio- 


cese, was  undoubtedly  dear  old  Father 
Mauritius  Klosterrmann,  O.  F.  M. 
The  mere  mention  of  his  name  evokes 
with  all  who  had  the  good  fortune  and 
privilege  of  knowing  him  more  inti- 
mately many  happy  memories  of  by- 
gone days,  especially  with  those  over 
whose  training  and  education  he  pre- 
sided. The  former  college  boys  of 
Teutopolis,  now  men  of  mature  age, 
are  foremost  in  gratefully  treasuring 
his  name  and  memory  and  in  giving 
unstinted  praise  and  appreciation  of 
this  good  man's  efforts  in  their 
behalf.  He  was  the  heart  and  soul  of 
that  institution.  No  boy  was  ever  un- 
justly or  even  harshly  dealt  with  by 
him,  nay,  many  were  there  whose 


faults  and  shortcomings  were  gener- 
ously overlooked  and  kindly  par- 
doned, a  slight  reprimand  and  all  was 
serene  and  calm  again  as  ever.  His 
was  a  personality  therefore  which 
won  the  susceptible  hearts  of  the  boys 
in  uncommon  degree.  He  was  of  an 
unusually  magnanimous  disposition, 
manifesting  at  all  times  a  spirit  of 
broadest  charity  and  utter  unselfish- 
ness. Though  firm  and  unalterable  in 
his  convictions  and  the  sense  of 
right,  he  was  by  no  means  a  stern 
man,  on  the  contrary,  was  very 
pleasant  in  his  manners,  humorous  and 
witty  in  his  conversation  and  made 
himself  beloved  by  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  closer  contact.  He  was  also  a 
man  of  profound  piety  and  showed  an 
extraordinary  zeal  and  devotion  for 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  which  is  evi- 
denced by  the  little  book  entitled: 
''Three  Days  of  Spiriutal  Exercises  Be- 
fore Receiving  First  Holy  Commun- 
ion," and  again  in  his  "Meditations 
For  Each  Day  o.f  the  Month."  He  was, 
moreover,  a  man  of  broad  intellect 
and  a  fluent  and  forcible  German  pul- 
pit speaker,  a  fact  which  at  times  is 
still  alluded  to  by  older  people.  Being 
well  on  in  years  when  coming  to  this 
country,  Father  Mauritius  found  some 
difficulty  in  expressing  himself  cor- 
rectly and  faultlessly  in  English 
which  fact  gave  rise  to  many  inno- 
cent little  jokes  and  stories  which  are 
related  to  this  very  day —  of  course 
by  former  students.  For  many  years 
he  accompanied  the  late  Bishop  Bal- 
tes  on  the  annual  confirmation  trips 
through  the  diocese. 

Adolph  Klostermann  was  born  at 
Lippborg  in  Westphalia,  August  30. 
1820,  of  a  family  which,  as  record 
show,  had  furnished  teachers  of  this 
place  continually  since  1751,  if  not 
earlier.  Like  his  father,  Adolph  chose 
the  vocation  of  teacher.  His  primary 
education  he  received  from  his  father 
and  after  attending  the  Seminary  at 
Buerren  from  August,  1838-40  he 
graduated  with  honors,  being  declared 
"eligible  for  a  position  as  teacher  and 
well  qualified  for  the  position  of  or- 


Page  Seventy 


ganist,  having  practiced  well  on  the 
piano  and  organ.'  After  teaching 
school  for  fourteen  years,  the  unex- 
pected death  of  a  dear  friend — a  lady 
to  whom  he  was  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried— opened  the  eyes  of  the  young 
teacher,  who  was  a  man  of  high  ideals, 
to  the  vanity  of  worldly  pursuits,  and 
encouraged  'by  a  Franciscan  brother, 
he  entered  the  Order  at  Warendorf 
as  lay  brother,  October  12,  1854.  But 
his  superiors,  noticing  his  talent  for 
teaching,  advised  him  to  study  for 
the  priesthood.  He  volunteered  for 
the  American  Missions.  In  1859  he 
came  to  Teutopolis,  and  in  February, 
1860,  to  Quincy,  where  he  was  or- 
dained July  2,  1860  in  St.  Boniface 
church  by  Bishop  Junker.  He  be- 
came the  first  pastor  of  St.  Anthony's 
in  Melrose,  near  Quincy,  the  first  or- 
ganist of  St.  Francis  and  its  first 
parochial  school  teacher.  From  1864- 
1882  Father  Mauritius  acted  as  Rector 
of  St.  Joseph's  college  at  Teutopolis 
and  for  ten  years,  1869-79  filled  the 
office  of  Commissary  to  the  Provin- 
cial. In  1882  our  veteran  College 
Rector  resigned  his  position  owing  to 
failing  eye-sight  and  was  elected 
guardian  of  the  Quincy  Monastery.  In 
July,  1885,  Father  Mauritius  was  elec- 


ted Provincial  of  the  newly  estab- 
lished Province  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 
which  had  become  independent  of  the 
old  German  "Saxonia"  Province.  His 
term  of  office  over,  he  went  to  In- 
dianapolis and  thence  soon  after  to 
Teutopolis,  where  on  April  28,  1890 
he  returned  his  beautiful  spotless  soul 
into  the  hands  of  his  Maker. 

With  the  passing  of  this  great,  illus- 
trious good  man  there  passed  away  a 
true  Nathaniel  in  whom  there  was  no 
guile,  an  able  teacher,  an  ideal  pious 
priest  and  a  model  religious.  Few 
men  enjoyed  such  an  extended  circle 
of  friends  as  he  did,  for  to  know  him 
was  to  love  him.  P.  M  a  r  i  t  i  u  s  was 
moreover  an  able  musician  and  fine 
composer;  he  left  a  number  of  valu- 
able compositions,  among  which  two 
able  compositions,  among  which  are 
two  Masses  and  a  beautiful  "Abend- 
lied."  In  pedagogics  decedent  was 
without  question  an  accepted  authority. 

His  mortal  remains  were  interred 
in  the  Franciscan  crypt  at  Teutopolis, 
where  they  rest  in  peace  until 
they  will  be  re-united  with  their  nobler 
tenant  on  the  Great  Judgment  Day 
to  participate  in  and  partake  of  the 
happiness  and  bliss  of  heaven.  R.  1. 
P. 


REV.  PETER  KOLOPP. 


The  deceased  was  born  in  1834  at 
Nancy,  France;  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood July  14,  1858,  and  acted  as  as- 
sistant priest  to  Father  Schaefer- 
meyer  at  St.  Boniface  church  of 
Quincy,  from  September  17,  1863 — 


April  19,  1864.  He  went  to  the  Cleve- 
land diocese,  where,  in  June,  1866,  he 
was  appointed  to  St.  Peter's  parish  of 
Doylestown,  in  Wayne  county.  He 
died  a  subject  of  that  diocese.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Seventy-One 


REV.  WM.  KUCHENBUCH. 


"Lead    me,    O    Lord, — till    perfect    Day    shall 

shine 
Through  Peace   to  Light". 

Among  the  twenty-five  theological 
students  who  pursued  their  higher 
studies  at  the  St.  Joseph's  College  of 
Teutopolis  from  1862-65,  was  Rev. 


William  Kuchenbuch,  a  native  of 
Hundshagen,  Westfalia,  where  he  was 
born  August  15,  1836.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen  he  came  to  America,  July  28, 
1850,  took  up  the  regular  course  of 
classical  studies,  entered  the  above 


mentioned  Seminary  and  was  or- 
dained by  Bishop  Juncker,  December 
6th,  1863,  in  the  college  chapel  of  Teu- 
topolis. With  him  were  three  more 
young  men  ordained,  viz:  J.  Harty, 
Ferd  Stick  and  Jeremias  Sullivan. 
From  the  time  of  his  ordination  in 
1863  till  the  year  1875,  young  Father 
Kuchenbuch  worked  well  in  various 
parishes,  of  the  Alton  diocese,  such  as 
Edwardsville,  where  in  1867,  he  pur- 
chased a  plot  of  land  500x300  to  DC 
used  for  church  purposes,  respectively 
for  a  new  church  by  the  German 
Catholics  of  Edwardsville,  at  same 
time  he  caused  a  brick  yard  to  be 
started  to  supply  the  necessary  brick 
for  the  contemplated  building.  From 
Edwardsville  he  was  sent  to  Quincy 
as  assistant  to  Rev.  Schaefermeyer 
of  St.  Boniface,  after  which  we  meet 
him  as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  parish 
of  Mt.  Sterling.  For  several  reasons 
Father  Kuchenbuch  severed  connec- 
tion with  the  Alton  diocese  and  joined 
that  of  Peoria,  where  he  served  the 
parishes  of  Danville,  Brimfield,  Hen- 
nepin  and  Peterstown  (Troy  Grove.) 
To  this  last  named  place  he  was  sent 
in  1892  and  continued  till  February 
17,  1906,  on  which  date  after  a  short 
illness  he  died  and  was  buried  in  the 
small  Catholic  cemetery  of  Peters- 
town. 

Father  Kuchenbuch  was  a  worthy 
and  conscientious  priest,  very  exact 
in  his  functions  and  duties  but  rather 
eccentric  and  singular  in  disposition 
and  habits.  His  thin,  haggard  feat- 
ures and  snow  white  hair  stamped  him 
an  ascetic.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOSEPH   KUENSTER. 


"Faithful   servant!    sweet   thy  rest 
With  thy  Savior  and  the  blest!     " 
All  thy  trials  now  are  o'er, 
Sorrow  ne'er  shall  pain  thee  more." 

The  first  resident  pastor  who  was 
assigned  to  St.  Peter's  congregation 
of  Belleville,  111.,  was  Rev.  Joseph 
Kuenster.  This  was  in  November, 
1842.  Conditions  there  were  anything 
but  agreeable  and  encouraging.  Of 
undaunted  determination  and  will 

Page  Seventy-Two 


power,  however,  which  knew  neither 
defeat  nor  failure,  he  at  once  planned 
the  erection  of  a  church.  In  the  face 
of  marked  opposition  he  succeeded  in 
his  undertaking.  Great  was  his  joy 
when  on  Christmas  morning,  1843,  he 
was  able  to  say  Holy  Mass  in  -the 
modest  little  structure  60  x  40,  to 
which  Archbishop  Kendrick  in  the 
spring  of  that  year  had  laid  the  cor- 


ner  stone.  But  alas!  Opposition  grew 
stronger  as  time  passed.  This  was 
principally  occasioned  by  his  stern 
refusal  to  permit  a  fallen-away  Cath- 
olic woman  to  act  as  sponsor  at 
Baptism.  Xot  only  that,  but  he  him- 
self became  the  object  of  villification, 
slander  and  blackguardism.  His 
enemies  conspired  to  rid  themselves 


of  his  presence.  In  this  they  suc- 
ceeded. When  met  on  a  lonely  coun- 
try road  homeward  bound,  they 
dragged  him  from  his  conveyance  and 
for  almost  24  hours  kept  him  im- 
prisoned in  a  stable  beyond  Center- 
ville.  Utterly  disheartened  and  dis- 
gusted at  the  indignant  treatment  to 
which  he  was  subjected,  Father  Kuen- 
ster  left  Belleville  and  went  to  Teu- 
topolis,  there  to  assume  charge  of  St. 
Peter's  parish.  This  was  in  1845. 
(With  the  advent  of  the  Franciscans  ?n 
Teutopolis,  September  25,  1858,  the 
name  of  the  patron  of  that  parish 
was  changed  from  St.  Peter's  to  that 
of  St.  Francis.) 

Those  years  spent  at  Belleville  had 
been  hard  and  trying.  Besides  look- 
ing after  the  interests  of  a  steadily 
growing  congregation  with  its  many 
daily  demands  and  sacrifices,  our  sub- 
ject made  trips  at  regular  intervals 


to  the  young  mission  parishes  of  St. 
Libory,  Germantown,  Red  Bud,  Ed- 
wardsville  and  Prairie  du  Long. 

Father  Kuenster  was  now  located 
at  Teutopolis  (1845  as  first  resident 
pastor  of  St.  Peter's,  which  had  been 
organized  in  1839  by  Rev.  Joseph 
Masquelet.  But  he  was  of  the  old 
but  practical  type.  When  he  went 
there  he  found  but  few  struggling 
German  Catholic  families,  who  in  the 
fall  of  1838  had  come  thither  from 
Cincinnati.  Like  them,  he  turned  in 
to  help  himself  and  make  the  building 
of  church  and  school  for  his  poor,  but 
pious  people,  as  light  and  easy  as  pos- 
sible. 

Father  Kuenster  had  his  little  piece 
of  cultivated  land,  his  garden  and  his 
fowls.  "One  day,"  writes  Rev.  John 
Larmer,  "he  was  called  on  to  pay  his 
cathedraticum  for  the  support  of  the 
Bishop.  He  astonished  all  by  paying 
his  cathedraticum  with  a  goose  and  a 
gander,  carried  by  him  across  the 
prairie.  The  good  priest  saw  nothing 
funny  about  it,  as  he  got  only  pay  in 
kind,  for  there  was  little  or  no  money 
in  the  settlement.  As  time  passed 
Father  Kuenster's  flock  of  fowl  and 
geese  increased  and  so  did  the  world- 
ly possessions  of  his  thrifty  German 
parishioners.  His  success  did  not 
escape  the  authorities  in  Chicago,  and 
he  was  removed  to  take  charge  of  the 
rebellious  and  annoying  parish  of 
Qiiincy." 

As  the  cholera  had  returned  to 
Quincy'  in  1850,  the  malcontents  and 
peace  disturbers  of  St.  Boniface 
parish  again  wished  for  a  priest,  de- 
ploring their  past  conduct  towards 
noble  Father  Brickwedde  whilst  the 
good  regretted  their  indolence  in  al- 
lowing a  bold  and  desperate  minority 
to  bring  shame  and  confusion  upon 
the  congregation  and  the  fair  name 
of  the  city. 

During  his  term  at  Quincy,  Father 
Kuenster  caused  a  great  mission  to  be 
given  by  the  popular  Father  Wennin- 
ger, S.  J.,  built  the  church  steeple  and 
purchased  three  bells  in  1852,  a  pipe 
organ  in  1854.  established  an  Orphan 
society  and  built  a  two-story  brick 

Page  Seventy-Three 


residence.  But  now  he  was  likewise 
to  experience  from  wicked  people, 
what  poor  Father  Brickwedde  had  ex- 
perienced, opposition,  slander  and 
calumny.  For  seven  years  the  cholera 
continued  to  rage  in  the  unfortunate 
city  claiming  many  a  one  from  the 
ranks  of  his  opponents  and  enemies 
and  taxing  the  strength  of  the  priest 
beyond  the  actual  capacity  and  endur- 
ing powers,  thus  bringing  him  to  a 
premature  grave  on  September  15, 
1857.  Funeral  services  were  held  by 
Bishop  Junker,  the  newly  enthroned 
Bishop  of  Alton,  who  hearing  of  the 
serious  illness  of  the  good  man,  had 
hastened  to  his  bedside,  but  on  his 


arrival   there  found  him  already  bat- 
tling with  death. 

The  defunct,  of  whose  early  life  but 
little  is  known,  was  born  in  1806  at 
Dueblich,  on  the  Rhine,  came  to 
America,  studied  for  the  priesthood  at 
the  "Barrens,"  St.  Louis,  was  ordained 
by  Bishop  Kendrick  of  St.  Louis, 
August  15,  1842,  together  with  Revs. 
T.  Cusack  and  P.  McCabe. 

Father  Ktienster  has  a  monument 
to  his  memory  in  St.  Boniface  ceme- 
tery of  Q'uincy,  whilst  many  of  his 
early  co-workers  are  now  in  unknown 
graves,  "unwept,  unknown  and  un- 
sung." R.  I.  P. 


REV.  PETER  PAUL  LEFEVRE. 

Coadjutor-Bishop    of    Detroit,    1841-1869. 


"I   do    not   ask    my    cross    to    understand   my 

way  to  see ; 

Better  in  darkness  just  to   feel  Thy  hand 
And  follow  Thee'. 


soil  of  Illinois,  was  undoubtedly  Rev. 
Peter    Paul    Lefevre.     It    was    in    the 
beginning  of  the  thirties  of  the-  past 
One   of  the   earliest   missionary       century  that  this  heroic  man  set  out 
priests    who    set    foot    on    the    virgin       from  St.   Paul's  on  the  Salt  River  in 


Rails  county,  Mo.,  to  evangelize 
Northern  Missouri,  Southern  Iowa, 
and  Middle  Illinois.  Already,  in  1833, 
he  ministers  to  the  spiritual  wants  of 

Page  Seventy-Four 


the  few  Catholics  of  Quincy,  where 
he  said  Mass  in  the  private  house  of 
Adami  Schmitt.  Springfield  was  also 
the  beneficiary  of  his  priestly  minis- 


trations,  yea,  most  of  the  incipient 
towns  where  Catholics  were  known  to 
reside,  were  included  in  Father 
Lefevre's  itinerary.  He  was  hailed 
with  unfeigned  joy  and  delight  where- 
ever  his  coming  was  heralded  by  the 
orphaned  Catholic  people.  This  genial 
man  of  true  apostolic  spirit  was  a 
native  of  Belgium,  born  at  Roulers,  in 
Flanders,  April  30,  1804,  ordained  a 
priest  at  the  Seminary  of  Cape  Girar- 
deau,  Mo.,  under  Bishop  Rosati  of 
St.  Louis,  July  17,  1831,  and  conse- 


crated  a   bishop    November   21,    1841. 
He  died  March  4,  1869. 

Bishop  Lefevre  was  never  actually 
Bishop  of  Detroit.  He  was  made  a 
titular  Bishop  of  Zela  i.  p.  i.,  Coad- 
jutor Administrator  of  Detroit — then 
embracing  all  Michigan  and  Wiscon- 
sin— and  acted  as  such  during  the 
mental  incapacity  of  Bishop  Frederick 
Rese,  first  Bishop  of  Detroit,  who 
died  December  29,  1871,  surviving  his 
Coadjutor  and  Diocesan  Administra- 
tor. R.  I.  P. 


V.  REV.  P.  NICHOLAS  LEONARD,  0.  F.  M. 


"At  each  shrine,  O  Mother  of  Mercy! 
Let  still  more  of  thy  love  be  given, 
Till  I  kneel  at  the  last  and  brightest — 
The  Throne  of  the   Queen   of  Heaven". 

One  day,  in  August,  1900,  a  tragic 
accident  happened  on  the  streets  of 
Omaha,  Neb.  Whilst  alighting  from 
a  street  car  and  in  the  act  of  cross- 
ing the  street  a  priest  was  run  down 
by  a  car  coming  from  an  opposite  di- 
rection, he  was  knocked  down  by  the 
fender,  the  wheels  passing  over  his 
right  leg  crushing  and  mangling  it 
so  that  amputation  of  the  injured 
mem'ber  was  at  once  declared  impera- 
tive so  that  the  crippled  man's  life  at 
least  be  saved.  This  awful  mis- 
fortune overtook  Father  Nicholas,  the 
Rector  of  St.  Francis  Solanus  College 
of  Quincy,  who  had  arrived  in  the 
Western  city  that  morning  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  the  annual  retreat 
to  a  community  of  Sisters.  As  a  true 
priest  and  model  religious  he  bore 
this  infliction  resignedly,  he  almost 
considered  it  a  visitation  sent  by  Al- 
mighty God  in  order  to  chasten, 
strengthen  and  purify  him  in  the  cru- 
cible of  such  calamitous  adversity. 
Father  Nicholas  had  been  Rector  of 
the  Quincy  College  since  1892.  Dur- 
ing the  eight  years  of  his  administra- 
tion the  institution  signally  grew  and 
expanded  in  influence  and  importance 
new  life  seemed  to  have  pulsated 
through  its  halls  and  class  rooms 
whilst  the  number  of  scholars  in- 
creased from  year  to  year.  New 
buildings  and  additions  to  old  ones 
were  put  up,  renovations  in  various 
departments  made,  so  that  St.  Francis 


had  become  a  keen  competitor  with 
any  institution  in  the  state.  In 
enumerating  and  lauding  the  merits 
of  Father  Nicholas  as  Rector  of  the 
College,  it  is  far  from  us  to  detract 
from  or  minimize  the  grand  achieve- 
ments attained  or  the  invaluable 
services  -rendered  that  seat  of  learn- 
ing by  its  veteran  president,  Father 
Anselm,  who  for  more  than  forty 
years  put  forth  his  best  efforts  in  be- 
half of  the  College/  Though  our 
stricken  priest  survived  the  terrible 
ordeal  and  was  restored  somewhat 
to  his  former  usefulness  yet  the 
shock  to  his  system  had  been  such 
that  within  a  few  years  thereafter 
the  good  man  suffered  a  complete 
break-down,  physical  and  mental. 
Death  came  to  his  relief  at  St. 
Anthony's  monastery  of  St.  Louis, 
March  17,  1903. 

Father  Nicholas  was  an  unusually 
scholarly  bright  man  of  rare  talents 
and  attainments,  a  splendid  college 
professor  and  amiable  companion  to 
his  confreres.  No  one  received  a 
heartier  welcome  by  the  secular  cler- 
gy than  he,  hence  his  misfortune  and 
subsequent  death  elicited  universal 
sorrow  and  sympathy. 

V.  Rev.  Nicholas  Leonard,  O.  F.  M., 
was  a  native  of  Alsace,  born  in  the 
town  of  Kerprich,  April  23,  1853,  at- 
tended St.  Joseph's  College  of  Teu- 
topolis,  entered  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor  June  13,  1870,  and  was  raised 
to  the  priesthood  February  1,  1877 
at  St.  Louis.  His  life  was  conse- 


Page  Seventy-Five 


crated  to  the  education  of  young  men 
in  which  he  achieved  great  results, 
both  at  St.  Joseph's  College  of  Teu- 


topolis    as    well    as    at     St.     Francis 
Solanus  of  Q'liincy. 


REV.  HERMANN  LIERMANN. 


"When  the   sunset  came   in  glory 
And  the  toil  of  day  was  o'er". 

But  few  details  are  known  of  the 
life  and  personality  of  Rev.  Hermann 
Liermann,  and  that  what  is  known  of 
him  may  be  summarized  in  a  few 
lines.  He  hailed  from  the  diocese  of 
Osnabrueck  in  the  former  Kingdom 
of  Hanover.  Coming  to  this  country 
he  affiliated  with  the  diocese  of  Chi- 
cago and  was  appointed  in  1851,  pas- 
tor of  Centerville,  and  form  thence 
sent  to  Teutopolis,  where  he  stayed 
from  1856-'57,  becoming  the  success- 
or to  Rev.  Father  Frauenhofer,  who 


had  in  the  meantime  taken  up  his 
domicile  in  Green  Creek.  From  1857- 
1860,  Father  Liermann  became  pastor 
of  St.  Peter's  church,  Chicago,  one 
of  the  two  oldest  German  parishes  of 
that  city.  From  1861-March  1865,  he 
is  pastor  of  McHenry,  and  became  in 
1865-1879,  pastor  of  St.  Nicolas'  parish 
of  Aurora.  His  last  charge  was  at 
Rock  Island,  where  he  was  given  the 
pastorate  of  St.  Mary's  congregation 
in  1880,  exchanging  places  with  Father 
Schnuekel.  Eight  years  of  faithful 
service  marks  his  life  at  Rock  Island, 
where  in  1888,  he  died.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  PAUL  LIMACHER. 


'  'Thy   treasures  wait   thee  in   the   far-off   skies 
And  death  will  give  them  all   to  thee". 

A  man  of  forcefulness  of  character, 
a  wise  and  prudent  pastor,  was  Father 
Limacher  of  St.  Peter  and  Paul's 


parish  of  Waterloo.  He  enjoyed  the 
unlimited  confidence  of  his  people, 
while  the  public  at  large  paid  homage 
to  his  rare  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 
Success  attended  his  every  undertak- 

Page  Seventy-Six 


ing  though  often  beset  by  serious 
difficulties  and  outspoken  opposition 
as  is  frequently  the  case  when  at- 
tempts at  reformation  are  inaugurated 
and  the  judgment  of  the  pastor  is  to 
prevail.  He  ripened  in  the  school  of 
such  varied  experiences  whilst  pastor 
of  seditious  Highland  from  August, 
1851-September,  1861.  After  the  latter 
date  his  transfer  to  the  prominent 
parish  of  Waterloo  took  place,  where 
his  unselfish  labors  were  properly  ap- 
preciated by  an  ever  grateful  congre- 
gation and  where  his  memory  will 
forever  be  held  in  benediction.  For 
39  years  Father  Limacher  acted  the 
zealous  pastor  of  his  Waterloo  flock 
until  June  11,  1899,  when  the  weary 
soul  of  this  venerable  priest  leaped 
forth  to  meet  his  maker. 

Rev.  Paul  Limacher  was  born  June 
26,  1826,  at  Fluehelen,  in  the  Canton 
Luzern,  Switzerland.  He  studied  at 
Luzern  four  years,  at  Solothurn  two 
years  and  thereafter  four  years  at 
the  University  of  St.  Mary's  of  the 
Lake,  Chicago  He  had  come  to  this 
country  May  1,  1847.  On  July  3,  1851, 
our  future  diocesan  priest  was  or- 
dained to  the  priesthood  by  the  second 
Bishop  of  Chicago,  Rt.  Rev.  Jarmes 
Oliver  Vandevelde,  at  Florissant,  Mo. 


He  was  at  once  assigned  to  the 
parish  of  Highland  to  succeed  the 
Rev.  Charles  Joseph  Count  von 
Morogna,  then  pastor  of  Shoal  Creek 
(now  Germantown)  who  had  looked 


after  the  spiritual  interests  of  that 
parish  since  1849.  He  became  the  first 
resident  pastor  of  St.  Paul's  of  High- 
land. Father  Paul  Limacher  was 
buried  at  Waterloo.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   JOSEPH   LOCHER. 


The  average  American  priest  does 
not  attain  the  age  of  sixty.  He  passes 
away  within  the  decade  of  the  fifties. 
Such  is  the  conclusion  at  which  one 
arrived  after  many  years  of  careful  in- 
vestigation and  close  observation.  By 


naturally    be    justified    to  still    expect 
great  things  from  them. 

Rev.  Joseph  Locher  was  one  of 
those  who  prematurely  sank  into  an 
early  grave.  Of  vigorous  constitution, 
yea,  the  very  embodiment  of  rugged 


far  the  greatest  number  of  those 
whom  we  accompanied  to  their  last 
resting  places  in  the  cemeteries  have 
been  called  from  hence  before  enter- 
ing their  sixties.  Whether  there  are 
statistics  to  prove  or  disprove  this 
assertion  we  know  not;  however,  cer- 
tain it  is  that  of  our  own  diocesan 
clergy  at  least,  the  greater  percentage 
died  when  still  in  the  prime  of  man- 
hood, at  a  time  when  one  would 


health  and  well-being,  he  had  all  rea- 
son to  confidently  look  forward  to  yet 
many  years  of  active  life  and  the  re- 
alization of  many  fond  dreams  and 
cherished  hopes.  But  "in  the  midst 
of  life  we  are  surrounded  by  death." 
This  passage  of  Holy  Scripture  be- 
came true  with  a  shocking  and  start- 
ling reality  on  December  10th,  1904, 
when  the  mournful  news  of  Rev. 
Father  Locher's  untimely  death  was 


Page  Seventy-Sev 


heralded  to  the  vast  number  of  friends 
and  parishioners.  Such  was  the  case. 
St.  Mary's  of  Quincy  had  lost  her  pas- 
tor, a  short,  brief  illness  had  felled  the 
strong  and  vigorous  man  in  the  midst 
of  his  labors  when  apparently  in  the 
bloom  and  ripeness  of  manhood,  in  the 
zenith  of  priestly  activity.  But  though 
his  life  was  of  comparatively  short 
duration, — our  deceased  was  but  in  his 
54th  year — yet  he  could  exclaim  in  the 
hour  of  his  last  summons  with  St. 
Paul:  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I 
have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
my  faith.  As  to  the  rest,  there  is 
laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  justice, 
which  the  Lord,  the  just  judge,  will 
render  to  me  in  that  day;  and  not  to 
me  alone,  but  to  them  also  that  love 
His  coming." 

When  on  April  the  2nd,  1895,  Rev. 
Gerard  Mirbach  had  answered  the 
final  roll  call,  it  was  an  easy  matter 
for  the  bishop  to  find  a  ready  and  wil- 
ling successor  to  this  eminent  pastor 
of  St.  Mary's.  The  parish  in  all  its 
appointments  was  now  perfected  and 
complete,  it  ranked  high  among  the 
parishes  of  the  diocese,  some  of  the 
very  best  men  had  given  it  tone  and 
prestige,  the  community  spirit  was  a 
good  one,  generous  and  of  sacrifice,  no 
dissensions  nor  any  opposition  parties 
to  the  pastor  had  ever  stigmatized  the 
conduct  of  her  exemplary  members, 
and  the  finances  were  in  fairly  good 
condition;  all  things  then  considered 
the  orphaned  congregation  at  this 
time  was  quite  a  desirable  one  for  any 
priest  to  covet.  The  man  to  fill  the 
vacancy,  however,  was  near  at  hand, 
he  had  lived  for  several  years  a  quasi- 
retired  life  in  a  cottage  build  for  him- 
self on  Locust  Street,  on  property 
bought  from  St.  Vincent's  Home.  It 
was  Rev.  Joseph  Locher,  for  many 
years,  from  1874-1890,  pastor  of  St. 
Joseph's  Church  of  Mt.  Sterling,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  appointment  to  the 
pastorate  of  St.  Mary's  a  chaplain  as- 
signed to  the  needs  and  ministrations 
of  the  Catholic  inmates  of  the  Sol- 
diers' Home.  On  leaving  Mt.  Sterling 
our  subject  seriously  considered  em- 
bracing monastic  life  in  the  Capu- 
chine  Order  at  Dertoit,  Mich.  It  so 


happened,  however,  that  at  this  very 
time  when  he  had  planned  to  execute 
his  intention,  the  Rev.  Francis  Ostrop 
of  Carlinville,  was  about  to  leave  for 
Europe.  His  choice  of  substitute  dur- 
ing the  six  months  absence  fell  upon 
Father  Locher,  who  accepted  at  once 
'  the  profered  position.  From  Carlin- 
ville he  removed  on  Rev.  Ostrop's  re- 
turn, to  Quincy.  In  doing  so  he 
yielded  to  the  importunities  of  his 
clerical  friend,  Rev.  Jos.  Still,  of  St. 
John's  Church. 

Every  one  was  highly  elated  when 
it  became  known  that  Father  Locher 
was  the  newly  chosen  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's;  even  that  younger  priest — 
whom  Father  Mirbach  had  repeatedly 
petitioned  the  Bishop,  in  1894,  to  ap- 
point as  assisstant  "cum  jure  succes- 
sionis"  to  him,  felt  equally  pleased 
and  reconciled  at  this  appointment. 
Nine  and  one  half  years  Father 
Locher  presided  over  the  destinies  of 
St.  Mary's.  A  brilliant  German  scholar 
he  soon  paved  his  way  into  public 
esteem  and  regard  by  his  acknow- 
ledged erudition,  culture  and  learning. 
As  pulpit  speaker  he  is  even  today  yet 
referred  to  as  having  been  most  elo- 
quent and  convincing.  In  his  dealings 
with  others  he  was  always  kind,  char- 
itable and  proved  himself  a  true  friend 
and  sympathizer  of  people  in  need 
and  distress.  He  lived  for  St.  Mary's. 

To  advance  her  interests  was  his 
one  great  thought.  That  he  at  times 
would  encounter  some  petty  difficul- 
ties or  caused  differences  of  opinion 
to  arise  which  were  calculated  to  up- 
set some  pet  schemes  or  frustrate 
plans  and  hopes  is  but  natural  to  ex- 
pect, esp.  of  a  somewhat  high  minded 
man  of  Rev.  Locher's  temperament 
whose  disposition  it  was,  as  quite  re- 
cently a  good  friend  of  his  expressed 
himself,  to  become  at  times  a  little 
"hitzig  und  blitzig."  When  it  became 
known  however,  that  good  Father 
Locher  had  died  after  but  a  few  days 
illness  occasioned  by  pneumonia, 
mourning  and  grief  were  deep  and  sin- 
cere, every  one  of  his  numerous  friends 
felt  he  had  sustained  a  keen  personal 
loss. 


Page  Seventy-Eighl 


His  funeral  was  solemn  and  impres- 
sive, attended  by  the  Bishop  and  the 
majority  of  the  diocesan  clergy,  to- 
gether with  a  vast  concourse  of  peo- 
ple. 

Rev.  Joseph  Locher  was  a  native  of 
Wuertenberg,  a  "Swab,"  as  the  say- 
ing goes,  born  January  22nd,  1851,  at 
Aulendorf,  near  Rottenburg,  the  old- 
est son  in  the  family  of  three  chil- 
dren. After  finishing  his  classical  stu- 
dies at  Ellwangen  he  entered  upon  a 
university  course  at  Insbruck,  and 
later  on  at  Munich,  graduating  there- 
from with  honors  and  distinction  in 


1872.  Deciding  to  study  for  the  priest- 
hood and  to  devote  and  consecrate 
his  life  to  foreign  missions,  he  came 
to  America  in  September,  1873,  and 
entered  Mt.  St.  Mary's  College,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio.  In  September  of  the 
following  year  he  was  raised  to  the 
priesthood  at  Alton,  111.,  by  the  Bishop 
of  the  diocese,  the  Rt.  Rev.  P.  J. 
Bates. 

His  untimely  demise  o  ecu  red 
December  10th,  1904.  He  was  buried 
in  St.  Boniface  cemetery  of  that  city. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  FREDERICK  LOHMANN. 


"Laetentur 
Domine". 


omnes      qui      sperant      in      Te 


A  meritorious  veteran  priest  went  to 


his  eternal  reward  February  10,  1917, 
one  who  had  performed  hard  and 
laborious  work  from  1869 — 1876  at 
Hillsboro,  Taylorville,  Morrissonville, 
Raymond,  Staunton,  New  Douglas 
and  Pana,  it  was  the  Rev.  Frederick 
Lohman,  since  1876  till  the  day  of 
death  pastor  of  Aviston,  111.  (Belle- 
ville) Father  F.  Lohman  was  born 
at  Drensteinfurt,  Westfalia,  April  24. 
1842,  studied  theology  at  the  Col- 
legium American  in  Muenster  and 
was  ordained  to  the  priesthood  May 
8,  1869,  (together  with  Fathers  Jos. 
Meckel  and  H.  Eggenstein.) 

His  funeral  occured  at  Aviston,  111. 
February  15,  attended  by  a  vast  con- 
course of  sympathizing  fellow  priests 
and  sorrowing  parishioners. 


REV.   PETER  JOSEPH   MACKIN. 


Old  St.  Patrick's  of  Decatur,  was 
in  deep  mourning.  Wierdly  and  sad- 
ly her  tolling  bells  had  announced 
to  an  apprehensive  congregation  the 
passing  of  their  beloved  pastor,  Rev. 
Peter  Joseph  Mackin.  The  expected 
had  happened,  death  had  invaded  the 
rectory  and  deprived  the  loyal  faith- 
ful parishioners  of  their  worthy  pas- 
tor. The  intelligence  of  his  demise 
was  received  with  expressions  of  pro- 
foundest  regret  not  .n'y  by  his  own 
devoted  people  but  throughout  the 
diocese  and  bevoncl.  Cut  the  people 
of  St.  Patrick's  whom  he  had  so  ably 
served  were  the  >:h'.ef  sufferers.  Cinef 


stricken  they  bowed  their  heads  in 
sorrow  and  will  long  continue  to 
mourn  their  great  loss.  They  will 
continue  to  pay  tribute  to  the  charac- 
ter, the  priestly  virtues,  the  ability 
and  thei  service  of  their  departed  pas- 
tor whose  death,  caused  by  intense 
rheumatic  affections,  called  all  too 
soon  from  hence.  The  grim  reaper 
mowed  down  his  victim  on  March  26, 
1898,  in  the  51st  year  of  his  life.  Our 
defunct  then  stood  on  the  high  pla- 
teau of  middle  life,  in  that  serene  at- 
mosphere where  conditions  are  most 
favorable  for  noble  enduring  achieve- 
ments. 


Page  Seventy-Nine 


Father  Mackin  was  a  big  man  in 
every  sense,  big  in  stature,  big  in 
heart  and  sympathy,  big  in  ideas  and 
of  unflinching  fortitude.  He  was  em- 


inently a  man  of  character,  a  man 
whose  life  was  regulated  by  principles 
of  the  noblest  type.  He  was  widely 
read  in  many  branches  and  on  useful 
topics.  His  taste  was  cultured  and  re- 
fined, he  abhorred  show.  His  orator- 
ical abilities,  which  were  known  far 
and  wide,  were  devoid  of  artifice. 
He  was  not  a  posturer  nor  phrase- 
monger, for  he  was  too  intense,  too 
earnest,  to  employ  the  cheap  and  pal- 
try decorations  of  discourse. 

Father  Mackin  strove  to  implant 
big  ideals  in  the  minds  of  his  young 
men  as  they  should  be  the  guiding 
and  animating  force  in  the  life  of 
every  Catholic  young  man  without 
which  his  life  is  dull  and  common- 
place. Ideals  of  manhood,  achieve- 
ment and  service  should  mark  every 
one.  He  was  more-over  a  great  pro- 
moter of  Catholic  Education  which  he 
deemed  the  essential  and  all-vital  re- 
quisite for  the  present  day.  Judged 
by  the  severest  tests  of  human  worth 
we  must  confess  that  Father  Mackin 


was  a  great  man.  This  is  the  verdict 
of  those  who  lived  with  him  on  terms 
of  intimacy  and  of  his  wide  circle  of 
admirers  amongst  the  clergy  and  lai- 
ay  throughout  this  and  adjacent  dio- 
ceses. By  way  of  passing,  we  may 
add  that  Father  Mackin  was  great  and 
lavish  in  hospitality  and  was  more- 
over a  great  story  teller.  In  his 
priestly  functions  and  administrations 
of  parochial  temporal  affairs  our  de- 
cedent was  punctual  and  exact.  St. 
Patrick's  blossomed  and  prospered 
under  his  guiding  influence.  He  threw 
concentrated  energy  into  all  parish 
work,  hence  great  results  were 
achieved  not  only  in  Decatur  but  in 
all  other  parishes  where  Father  Mack- 
it  was  called  to  preside  over.  No 
wonder  then  that  sorrow  was  so  uni- 
versal when  it  became  known  that 
this  ideal  man  and  ideal  priest  had 
been  beckoned  by  the  palled  messen- 
ger with  the  inverted  torch  to  depart. 
Though  dead  and  gone,  Father  Mack- 
in continues  to  live  in  the  hearts  and 
memories  of  his  numerous  friends 
and  faithful  people. 

'  'You  may  break,   you  may  shatter 
The   vase,    if  you  will, 
But  the  scent  of  the  roses 
Will    hang   around    still'1. 

If  it  be  true  that  "death  loves  a 
shining  mark,"  it  may  surely  be  said 
that  calumny,  slander  and  ignorance 
always  turn  their  attention  in  the  same 
brilliant  direction.  They  are  the  or- 
dinary weapons  of  warfare  employed 
to  undermine  and  ruin  a  good  man's 
character.  Father  Mackin  was  not 
exempted  from  the  attacks  of  the  foul 
and  loathsome  creatures  who  crawl 
about  the  footsteps  of  so  many  illus- 
trious men,  especially  the  servants  of 
God's  holy  altar.  The  injured  priest 
however  was  vindicated.  The  unpleas- 
ant and  painful  incident  occasioned 
his  transfer  from  Jacksonville  to  Ed- 
wardsville  and  from  thence  ot  Deca- 
tur. 

Rev.  Peter  Joseph  Mackin  was 
born  in  1847  in  Xewtown,  Hamilton 
County,  Armagh,  Ireland.  When 
about  16  years  old  he  began  to  study 
for  the  ministry  at  All  Hallows  Col- 
lege, Dublin.  During  his  college  life 
he  distinguished  himself  in  his  studies 


Page  Eighty 


standing  at  the  head  of  his  classes 
and  carrying  off  many  of  the  first 
prizes.  When  twenty-three  years  of 
age  he  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood June  25,  1870  by  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Woodlock,  who  sent  him  to  Alton 
diocese  with  encouraging  words  as  to 
the  success  of  his  ministry.  His  first 
work  was  assistant  to  Fr.  Walsh,  but 
he  was  sent  after  a  short  time  as 
pastor  to  Carrollton,  where  he  re- 
mained two  years.  Next  Father 
Mackin  was  appointed  to  Our  Sav- 
ior's parish  of  Jacksonville,  where  he 
worked  well  for  six  years,  going  from 
thence  to  Edwardsville.  On  October 
31,  1878,  he  was  installed  in  St.  Pat- 
rick's Decatur,  succeeding  Father 
Timothy  Hickey.  Here  he  was  made 
an  irremovable  rector  and  a  dean  of 
the  district.  The  good  he  has  ac- 
complished in  Decatur  and  elsewhere 
need  not  be  detailed  here.  In  sum- 


ming up  Father  Mackin's  activity  in 
Decatur,  the  "Review"  of  that  city 
said  of  him:  "The  Catholics  of  Deca- 
tur and  all  good  citizens  have  reason 
to  be  thankful  to  him." 

When  Henry  Ward  Beecher  was  in 
Decatur  one  Sunday,  he  attended 
Father  Mackin's  church.  On  his  re- 
turn to  Brooklyn  at  the  first  sermon 
to  his  congregation,  he  spoke  of  the 
sermon  of  Father  Mackin  and  eulo- 
gized him  highly. 

When  approaching  death  threw  its 
shadows  over  the  life  of  Father 
Mackin,  he  was  attended  by  his 
brother,  the  late  Father  M.  T. 
Mackin,  of  St.  Brandon's  church,  Chi- 
cago and  Father  Alois  Teppe,  of  De- 
catur. He  was  conscious  to  the  last 
and  his  passing  away  was  easy.  He 
died  in  his  arm  chair  fully  prepared 
to  meet  his  Lord  and  God.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   THOMAS   F.  MANGAN. 


"The  lone  churchyard  is  dark  and  dim 
And  the  mourners  raise  a  funeral  hymn". 

A  fearless  champion  of  the  church 
and   her    teachings,    a   man    of    trans- 


parent honesty  and  purpose  and  11  p- 
rightness,  one  who  combined  in  his 
person  the  characteristics  of  a  true 
disciple  of  the  Master,  was  Father 


Thomas  F.  Mangan.  None  was  ever 
more  beloved  and  liked  by  his  parish- 
ioners in  the  various  parishes  than  he. 
His  personality  was  majestic,  hence 
his  great  influence  for  good.  Among 
all  creeds  he  stood  out  as  a  shining 
light.  In  all  public  affairs  Father 
Mangan  took  an  active  interest  and 
was  always  intimately  connected  with 
all  that  tended  toward  the  uplift  of 
humanity. 

Under  his  management  the  incipi- 
ent parish  of  Jerseyville,  which  had 
constructed  a  small  frame  church  in 
1857,  the  year  previous  to  his  coming 
there,  began  to  feel  self-assertive. 
During  the  three  years  of  his  stay  at 
Jerseyville,  from  the  time  of  his  ordi- 
nation in  February,  1858 — January  19, 
1861,  our  young,  vigorous  pastor  laid 
the  foundation  for  that  congregation's 
subseq'iient  strength  and  power. 
From  here  he  attended  to  Carroll- 
ton's  spiritual  wants  and  at  times 
sought  out  the  scattered  Catholic 
families  in  the  surrounding  counties. 

From  Jerseyville  he  was  sent  in 
1861  to  Jacksonville  and  thence  to 
Alton,  where  for  some  time  he  acted 
as  rector  of  the  Cathedral.  In  June, 

Page  Eighty-One 


1863,  the  aged  Father  Thomas  Ryan 
had  died  at  Mattoon.  Who  was  to 
fill  the  vacancy  at  this  already  im- 
portant Catholic  centre?  Father 
Mangan.  And  with  his  coming  the 
young  and  energetic  priest  infused 
new  life  into  the  affairs  of  that  parish 
At  once  he  started  with  the  erection 
of  a  priest's  residence,  which  was 
afterwards  used  as  a  Sisters'  convent 
Then  he  added  to  the  church  a  sanc- 
tuary, sacristies  and  gallery.  To- 
wards the  close  of  his  stay,  he  bought 
the  ground  on  which  the  present  St. 
Joseph's  school  stands  and  built  a 
two-story  school  house  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, which  outlay,  however,  the 
parish  re-imbursed.  He  called  the 
Ursuline  Sisters  to  teach  the  schools. 
His  success  in  the  cause  of  education 
was  remarkable  and  the  temperance 
cause  which  he  valiantly  espoused  in 
those  days,  owes  him  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude. In  1870  Father  Mangan  relin- 
quished his  charge  of  Mattoon, 
severed  his  connection  with  the  dio- 
cese of  Alton  and  was  received  into 
the  Chicago  diocese  where  he  died 
full  of  honors,  years  and  merit  as 
dean  of  Joliet,  February  5,  1898. 

The  Joliet  Daily  News  spoke  of  our 
subject  thus: 

"There  is  probably  no  clergyman 
in  Joliet  the  news  of  whose  demise 
would  cause  more  widespread  sorrow 
through  the  city  and  surrounding 
country  than  Father  Mangan.  The 
decade  which  he  has  spent  as  a  priest 
of  St.  Mary's  parish  has  been  the 
brightest  in  the  history  of  the  Church 
and  the  entire  city  has  been  benefitted 
by  his  pure  influence. 

Intensely  pivblic  spirited,  he  took 
the  keenest  interest  in  all  matters  of 
importance  to  the  community  in 
which  he  lived  and  his  counsel  has 
been  sought  most  eagerly  on  many 
occasions.  His  kindness  of  heart  and 
his  greatness  of  sympathy  were  pro- 


verbial among  those  who  knew  him 
and  while  no  person  was  a  more 
thorough  Catholic  than  he,  he  was 
always  willing  to  lend  his  assistance 
to  the  work  of  Protestant  or  secular 
organizations  which  he  thought  like- 
ly to  prove  of  benefit  to  the  com- 
munity. His  payment  of  $50.00  for  a 
street  car  ride  between  Joliet  and 
Lockport  last  summer  when  the  ladies 
were  running  the  cars  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Silver  Cross  Hospital,  was  a 
good  example  of  his  feeling  toward 
agencies  for  good,  whether  or  not 
they  were  conducted  by  the  Church 
of  which  he  was  an  honored  light. 
Numbers  of  similar  instances  of  his 
kindly  feeling  could  be  related.  He 
had  the  warmest  affection  of  his 
parishioners  and  the  hearty  esteem 
of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
His  sermons  were  full  of  the  most 
inspiring  advice  and  exhortations]  and 
he  was  one  of  the  finest  pulpit  orators 
who  has  ever  been  heard  in  Joliet. 
Although  he  was  a  magnificent 
preacher  it  was  as  a  pastor  that  he  did 
the  greatest  good.  His  kindly  advice 
and  wise  counsel  have  aided  many  of 
his  parishioners  in  times  of  difficulty 
and  trial  and  to  no  priest  more  than 
to  him  does  the  term  "Father"  seem 
more  appropriate. 

"Thomas  Francis  Mangan  was  a 
native  of  County  Clare,  Ireland,  and 
came  to  America  when  18  years  of 
age.  He  received  his  education  at 
Ottawa,  Canada,  and  at  once  began 
studying  for  the  priesthood.  He  was 
ordained  in  St.  Louis  in  1858,  and  has 
been  continually  a  Catholic  pastor 
since  that  time.  Among  the  cities  in 
which  he  held  charges  were  Jersey- 
ville,  Alton,  Jacksonville,  Mattoon, 
Macomb  and  Freeport,  and  in  1897 
came  to  Joliet  from  the  last  named 
place.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  here 
he  was  made  a  dean  and  has  been 
honored  in  other  ways  by  the  officials 
of  his  Church."  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Eighty-Two 


REV.   CHARLES.  MANUEL. 


It  was  a  crisp  and  sunny  fall  day, 
that  25th  day  of  September,  1901 
when  the  bells  of  St.  Mary's  Church 
of  Illiopolis,  mournfully  tolled  the 
sad  and  distressing  news  that  Rev. 
Charles  Manuel,  the  all-beloved  pas- 
tor of  the  parish,  had  answered  the 
last  summons.  It  is  not  easy  to  ex- 


press the  heart-pain  felt  by  the  peo- 
ple of  the  parish  and  the  clergy  of 
the  diocese  when  it  became  known 
that  this  great  good  man  had  been 
called  by  death  and  passed  from  this 
world.  We  all  who  heard  of  this  sad 
tolling  either  by  wire  or  mail  felt  a 
keen  personal  loss  by  his  passing. 
And  yet  death  came  to  him  as  a  bless- 
ing. Many  long  months  Father 
Manuel  had  suffered  excruciating 
pain  and  intense  suffering,  occa- 
sioned by  an  abcess  on  the  lungs. 
Medical  treatment  had  been  sought 
in  vain,  repeated  operations  proverl 
fruitless,  institutional  care  in  the 
Sisters'  hospital  at  Colorado  Springs 
availed  but  little, — on  the  contrary 
the  ailment  became  aggravated  and 
attained  such  acute  stage  that  the 
precious  life  of  our  subject  soon  be- 
came a  forfeited  one.  With  almost 
super-human  strength  and  courage  he 
bore  this  terrible  infliction  heroically 


— resignedly  to  God's  holy  will  for 
weeks  and  months,  never  complaining 
never  murmuring  against  the  designs 
of  divine  Providence.  Father  Manuel 
as  a  true  priest  of  God  looked  upon 
his  suffering  as  upon  a  purifying  and 
chastening  process  preparatory  to  his 
entering  into  glory.  And  when  the 
end  approached  he  was  ready  to  re- 
spond with  Samuel  in  the  temple: 
"Ecce  adsum  Domine,"  "Lord  here  I 
am,"  Peacefully  he  sank  into  the  last 
long  slumber  from  which  he  was  to 
awaken  on  the  shores  of  eternity. 
Strengthened  for  the  final  journey  by 
the  Sacraments  of  Holy  Church,  sur- 
rounded in  his  last  moments  by  a 
prayerful  community  of  good  Sisters 
and  the  hospital  chaplain,  Rev.  Aug. 
Happe,  he  expired  at  Colorado 
Springs  on  above  mentioned  date. 

The  emaciated  and  shrunken  body 
was  shipped  back  to  Illiopolis  for 
burial.  There  it  was  placed  before 
the  altar  where  so  often  the  dead 
priest  had  raised  hands  ana  heart  to 
Almighty  God  in  holy  prayer  and 
pious  supplication  for  his  parishion- 
ers and  himself.  He  was  placed  on 
the  bier  that  his  loved  ones  might 
cast  a  last  glance  upon  those  well- 
known  and  benevolent  features  which 
alas!  were  now  distorted  and  dis- 
figured by  death.  Those  sacred  walls 
which  erstwhile  rang  with  solemn 
chant  and  inspiring  music  now  re- 
echoed the  sorrowful  strains  of  tlie 
"Dies  Irae"  and  the  wail  of  the  "De 
Profundis." 

The  life  of  Father  Manuel  was  con- 
sumed in  the  exercise  of  his  holy 
ministry.  Nothing  was  nearer  and 
dearer  to  his  heart  than  his  St.  Mary's 
parish  of  Illiopolis,  together  with  its 
two  affiliated  parishes  of  Niantic  and 
Buffalo.  ForN  the  welfare  of  these  he 
lived,  and — we  may  add — for  them  he 
died,  for  he  fell  a  victim  of  his  assid- 
uous labors  which  his  position  en- 
tailed. 

His  spotless  priestly  life  was  unto 
all  a  shining  pattern  and  bright  ex- 
ample. Whenever  a  pastoral  visit  or 
a  sick  call  ushered  him  into  the  homes 

Page  Eighty-Three 


of  his  parishioners,  Father  Manuel 
would  invariably  before  leave-taking 
kneel  down  with  his  people  in  short 
prayer  and  impart  them  his  priestly 
blessing.  His  familiar  and  customary 
good-bye  to  a  friend  would  be  couch- 
ed in  the  additional  expression  "God 
bless  you,"  which  had  become  so  well 
known  that  one  of  his  personal 
friends  in  a  jocular  vein  dubbed  him 
"the  father  God  bless  you,"  undcr 
which  epithet  he  is  at  times  alluded 
to  this  very  day  yet.  Of  his  parish- 
ioners he  was  want  to  call  them  usual- 
ly by  their  given  names  which  was  so 
expressive  of  that  bond  of  familiarity 
and  intimacy  as  existed  between  pas- 
tor and  flock,  father  and  children. 
For  the  needy  and  destitute  he  always 
had  an  open  hand  and  a  warm  sym- 
pathetic heart.  At  all  hours  of  day  or 
night  he  was  ready  to  respond  to  any 
call,  be  it  of  sickness  or  distress. 

There  is  no  one  of  'us  who  does  not 
recognize  the  great  task  set  before 
us  in  meeting  our  responsibilities  for 
the  religious  life  of  our  people. 
Parishes  must  be  organized,  churches 
and  schools  are  to  be  built,  orphans 
and  wayward  ones  to  be  looked  after. 
Father  Manuel  in  all  instances  rose 
to  the  occasion.  The  beautiful  Gothic 
church  of  Illiopolis,  built  in  1895-96, 
over  which  the  genial  Father  J.  C. 
Daw  presides  at  present,  whose 
pointed  spire  with  golden  cross  over- 
looks many  miles  of  Sangamon's  fer- 
tile fields  and  happy  rural  homes  is 
among  many  other  notable  achieve- 
ments an  eloquent  testimonial  of  his 
burning  zeal  for  the  honor  and  glory 
of  the  Eucharistic  God,  it  will  con- 
tinue to  enshrine  his  memory  in  the 
hearts  of  all  who  had  the  good  fort- 
une to  know  him  and  will  carry  his 
name  to  future  generations  as  that  of 


a  mighty  figure  in  the  history  of  the 
Alton  diocese.  The  good  Franciscan 
Sisters  of  the  St.  John's  Hospital  of 
Springfield  will  never  forget  him, 
they  will  forever  recall  his  many 
blessed  deeds  of  kindness  and  charity 
he  so  generously  lavished  upon  them. 
During  all  the  years  of  his  pastoral 
activity  at  Illiopolis  Father  Manuel, 
regular  as  a  clock  would  once  a  week 
on  a  specified  day  enter  the  Commun- 
ity Confessional  and  there  sit  for 
many  weary  hours  hearing  confes- 
sions. It  was  done  with  a  readiness 
and  cheerfulness  that  demanded  hom- 
age and  grateful  recognition. 

His  was  a  loveable  character,  up- 
right and  sincere,  always  serene  and 
joviable.  To  know  him  was  to  love 
him.  God's  holy  angel,  so  we  trust 
and  hope,  has  recorded  Father  Man- 
uel's name  and  accumulated  merits 
upon  the  pages  of  the  Book  of  Life, 

The    autumn    leaves    commenced    to    sear 

And    flowers    drooped    their    head 

It     seemed     as     though     they    mourned    too, 

That  Father  Manuel  was  dead. 

The  bell  tolled  forth  at  early  morn — 

His  span  of  life  was  run — 

But   with  a   martyr's   spirit  he   said: 

"Oh  Lord,  Thy  will  be  done  I" 

Rev.  Charles  Manuel  died  at  Colo- 
rado Springs,  Sept.  25,  1901.  He  was 
born  at  Etteln,  in  the  Diocese  of 
Paderborn,  Germany,  where  his  father 
held  the  position  of  Burgomaster,  on 
May  25th,  1853,  studied  classics  at 
Paderborn,  philosophy  in  the  Ameri- 
can Colleges  at  Louvain,  Belgium, 
and  Theology  in  the  Grand  Seminary 
at  Montreal,  under  the  Sulpician 
Fathers.  On  December  23d,  1877, 
Father  Manuel  was  raised  to  the 
priesthood  at  Alton  by  the  late 
Bishop  P.  J.  Baltes,  D.  D.,  who  as- 
signed the  neopresbyter  at  once  as 
pastor  to  the  St.  Mary's  church,  Illi- 
opolis, 111.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Eighty-Four 


REV.  JOHN  A.  MARK. 


"My   heart    is   no    longer   restless". 

This  priest  hailed  from  Wuerzburg 
in  Bavaria,  where  he  was  born  April 
3,  1827,  was  ordained  there  August 
6,  1859,  and  came  to  this  country  the 
following  year.  He  acted  in  our  dio- 
cese at  Brussels,  in  Calhoun  county, 
from  1865-'67,  at  Marshall  from  April, 
1867-Oct.  72,  at  Beardstown  from 
1875-76,  and  then  a  short  while  at 
Edwardsville,  succeeding  Father  Rus- 
tige,  first  at  St.  Mary's  then  at  St. 
Boniface,  where  he  was  succeeded  by 


Father  Chas.  Kuhlmann.  After  his 
removal  from  St.  Boniface  it  seems 
that  Father  Mark  joined  the  Fort 
Wayne  diocese,  where  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  parish  of  Hammond, 
Ind.  Here  he  built  a  frame  church  in 
spite  of  the  advise  of  wiser  men,  on 
a  lot  undermined  by  a  coal  mine.  The 
ground  settled,  the  church  was 
wrecked — the  debts  remained.  He 
then  was  removed  to  Hessen  Cassel, 
near  Fort  Wayne,  where  he  died  in 
1897.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  CHARLES  JOSEPH  COUNT  VON  MAROGNA. 


"Pause   where    the    Pilgrim's    day    is    done 
Where   scrip   and   staff  aside  are   laid". 

Charles  Joseph  Marogna,  a  scion  of 
an  old  illustrious  Catholic  family,  was 


born  September  17,  1802  in  the  an- 
cestral castle  of  Villa  Lagrima,  near 
Trent  in  the  Tyrol.  While  yet  very 
young  he  was  ordered  to  repair  to  the 
Court  of  Florence  to  act  as  page,  and 
there  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
Pope  Pius  VII  on  his  way  to  Pisa. 
After  completing  his  classical  course 


he  was  sent  to  Mayence,  where  he 
studied  Theology  under  the  famous 
Liebermann.  Raised  to  the  priest- 
hood March  30,  1824,  he  worked  first 
as  an  assistant  and  then  as  parish 
priest  at  Algaeu,  diocese  of  Augsburg, 
till  1846,  at  which  time  he  had  deter- 
mined to  devote  the  remainder  of  his 
lift  to  the  promotion  of  the  material 
and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  immigrants 
in  America.  In  due  time  he  reached 
Chicago  where  for  two  years  he  faith- 
fully worked  in  St.  Joseph's  parish. 
Thence  he  was  sent  to  Germantown 
and  Highland  in  1840.  The  Father 
seems  to  have  spent  much  of  his  time 
at  Highland  in  the  early  part  of  1840, 
after  which  he  left  for  Germany, 
whither  he  repaired  in  quest  of  alms 
for  his  poor  congregation  and  where 
he  spent  six  months.  On  his  return 
he  supplied  his  church  with  plate  and 
vestments  thus  obtained,  spending  the 
cash  in  improving  the  church  and  se- 
curing forty  acres  of  land  for  burial 
purposes. 

At  that  time  the  political  convul- 
sions of  Europe  brought  an  increased 
number  of  immigrants,  Highland  re- 
ceiving its  share  of  them.  Father 
Marogna  persuaded  Bishop  Van  de 
Velde  to  send  to  Highland  a  perma- 
nent pastor.  In  consequence  Father 
Paul  Limacher  was  appointed  pastor 
whilst  Father  Marogna  went  to  St. 
Vincent's  Pa.,  there  to  enter  the 
Benedictine  Order.  In  1852  he  was 
admitted  into  the  Order  and  on 


Page  Eighty-Five 


August  21,  1853,  he  made  the  pro- 
fession of  solemn  vows,  receiving  the 
name  of  Demetrius.  For  awhile  he 
was  employed  as  professor  and  prior. 
Later  on,  at  the  request  of  the  Bishop 
of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  he  was  sent  to  the 
Northwest  to  start  an  institution  of 


the  Benedictine  Order  which  after- 
wards became  St.  John's  Abbey. 
Father  Marogna  died  March  27,  1860, 
at  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  and  was  buried  in 
the  cemetery  belonging  to  the  Abbey. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  J.  V.  MARTIN. 


"Toward  the  West  I  turn  my  weary  spirit". 

The  parishes  of  Shipman,  Neoga, 
Arcola,  Shelbyville  and  Bethany,  will 
for  many  years  to  come,  remember 
the  ministrations  of  Father  J.  V.  Mar- 
tin. He  served  them  in  succession 
from  the  time  of  ordination  until 
called  by  his  heavenly  Master.  With 
earnest  endeavor  he  tried  to  shepherd 
them  into  the  ways  of  godliness  him- 
self setting  a  bright  example. 

Father  Martin  was  a  man  of  stu- 
dious habits  a  ripe  scholar,  modest 
and  unobtrusive.  The  welfare  of  his 
various  parishes  constituted  his  chief 
concern.  And  success  attended  his 


efforts.  Wherever  he  had  labored, 
there  he  left  imprints  of  his  unselfish 
endeavors,  hence  his  death  appeared 
all  too  untimely.  He  was  taken  away 
when  in  the  zenith  of  usefulness  and 
virile  strength,  both  intellectual  and 
physical. 

Father  Martin  was  the  son  of  John 
Martin  and  Mary  Kelly,  born  at 
Champlain,  Minnesota,  November  27, 
1857, and  ordained  by  Archbishop 
Edward  Fabre  in  the  Grand  Seminary 
chapel  at  Miontreal,  Dec.  18,  1886. 

His  remains  were  buried  at  Beth- 
any. 


REV.  JOSEPH  MASQUELET. 


"The  Past's  bright  diadem  had  paled  before 
The     starry     crown,      the      glorious    Present 
wore". 

One  of  the  oldest  parishes  of  the 
diocese,  next  to  Quincy  and  Ste.  Ma- 
rie, is  Teutopolis.  Its  history  dates 
back  to  1833.  An  organized  body  of 
Catholic  Cincinnatians,  who  had  been 
prospecting  out  west,  had  started  a 
colony  there  in  1837.  They  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  comprising  10,000 
acres  at  $1.25  per  acre.  With  the  first 
settlers  came  a  priest  by  the  name  of 
Rev.  Joseph  Masquelet,  a  native  of 
Elsace.  The  first  divine  service  was 
held  in  this  new  settlement  towards 
the  end  of  November,  1839.  The  fol- 
lowing year,  1840,  a  small  log  church 
was  built,  32x28,  and  dedicated  to  St. 
Peter.  Frictions  and  dissensions, 
however,  soon  broke  forth  which  in- 
duced the  pastor  to  build  a  second 
log  church  at  a  distance  of  1^  miles 


from  the  former.  It  was  built  on  his 
own  land,  on  "Masquelet  Place." 
The  internal  parish  dissensions  were, 
however,  not  allayed,  on  the  contra- 
ry, they  continued  to  grow  for  many 
a  year,  causing  much  discomfiture  and 
annoyance  to  the  various  pastors,  and 
making  the  parish  rather  notorious 
for  its  stubborn  opposition  to  the  ef- 
forts of  the  clergy.  Father  Masque- 
let,  tired  of  the  ill-feeling  and  oppo- 
sition manifested  toward  him,  left 
Teutopolis  in  1842  for  New  Orleans. 
There  he  was  assigned  a  parish  and 
built  a  fine  church.  Twice  he  re- 
turned on  a  visit  to  Teutopolis,  in 
November,  1855,  and  again  in  the  sev- 
enties, when  he  donated  a  set  of  cost- 
ly vestments  to  the  parish.  After  his 
last  visit  he  returned  to  his  native 
land,  where  he  soon  died.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Eighty-Six 


REV.   JOSEPH   MAURER. 


"Fret   not   when    grievous   woes    annoy, 
Who  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy". 

A  precious  life  was  snuffed  out  at 
St.  Anthony's  Hospital,  of  Effingham, 
on  Monday,  March  20,  1916,  when  the 
captive  spirit  of  Rev.  Jos.  Maurer 
broke  forth  from  its  temporary  prison 
cell  and  winged  its  flight  to  God's 
holy  throne.  Deceased  could  join  in 


the  simple  and  pathetic  words  of 
Moses  concerning  his  lonesome  jour- 
ney in  Egypt:  "I  have  been  a  stran- 
ger in  a  strange  land."  Shakespeare 
says  of  a  certain  king  that  in  his  very 
look  was  writ  a  tragic  volume.  As 
much  may  be  said  of  our  departed 
one.  His  whole  life  seemed  to  have 
been  a  continued  tragedy  caused  by 
self-imposed  austerities  and  abnega- 
tions, mortifications  and  penances, 
especially,  however,  when  we  con- 
sider it  towards  its  close.  The  intens- 
ity of  suffering  occasioned  by  the  in- 
'"iction  of  an  incurable  ailment,  can- 
cer of  the  throat,  must  have  often 
re-awakened  in  his  heart  an  echo  of 
the  words  of  world-weary  St.  Paul 
who  longed  and  prayed  to  be  dis- 
solved from  "the  body  of  this  death." 
This  frightful  affliction  our  subject 
carried  with  him  for  months — patient- 
ly and  submissively  to  God's  in- 
scrutable, holy  will.  For  him  it 


meant  a  final  God-given  process  of 
purification  ere  entering  the  portals 
of  eternity.  Days  and  nights  of  untold 
misery  and  agony  had  been  his  por- 
tion, for  there  seemed  neither  cure 
nor  relief  for  him  anywhere,  neither 
north  in  Wisconsin's  invigorating 
clime,  nor  south  in  Texas,  nor  in 
sunny  California.  Feeling  the  near- 
ness of  death  he  rallied  in  last  effort 
his  waning  strength  that  he  might  die 
among  friends.  On  the  brink  of  utter 
collapse  he  arrived  from  his  long  tire- 
some California  journey  at  the  St. 
Anthony's  Hospital  in  Effingham.  All 
that  the  care  of  loving  hands  of  the 
good  Sisters  could  do,  was  lavished 
on  him.  Some  of  his  clerical  friends 
and  the  community  of  Sisters  knelt 
in  prayer  around  the  bedside  when 
the  end  came,  and  the  spirit  of  this 
truly  suffering  Job  was  released  from 
captivity.  Cardinal  Newman's  poetic 
composition  had  often  been  his 
prayer: 

"Lead,    Kindly   Light,    amid   encircling   gloom 

Lead  Thou  me  on! 
The  night  is  dark,  and  I  am  far  from  home — 

Lead  Thou  me  on"! 

This  beautiful  poem  our  friend  had 
always  much  admired  and  was  often 
heard  to  hum  it  to  himself. 

And  sure,  God's  grace  and  power 
had  blest  and  upheld  him  during  the 
36  years  of  his  priestly  life  and  con- 
tinued to  uphold  him  now  and  lead 
him  on  during  the  most  critical  of 
all  moments — till  the  black  night  was 
gone,  and  with  the  morn  sweet  angel 
faces  smiled  upon  him.  Truly  with 
the  peaceful  passing  of  Father  Maurer 
we  all  had  reason  to  exclaim:  "Pre- 
tiosa  in  conspectu  Domini,  mors  sanc- 
torum." 

Fidelity  to  his  priestly  duties  at  all 
times,  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
characterized  the  otherwise  uneventful 
life  of  our  departed  one.  Wherever 
he  displayed  his  sacerdotal  functions 
or  acted  as  pastor  over  a  parish,  he 
was  unto  all  a  source  of  edification. 
His  unselfishness  had  become  rather 
extreme.  Hence  he  died  as  poor  as 
the  proverbial  church  mouse,  scarcely 
having  a  dollar  to  his  name.  Our  de- 

Page  Eighty-Seven 


funct  was  a  bright  scholar  and  was 
possessed  of  great  retentive  mental 
power. 

Rev.  Joseph  Maurer  was  born  at 
Rauenberg  in  the  Archdiocese  of 
Freiburg,  Baden,  February  12,  1858, 
studied  at  the  American  College  of 
Louvain  and  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  at  Utrecht,  Holland,  Aug. 
15,  1880.  He  landed  on  the  American 
shores  Oct.  16,  1880,  and. at  once  en- 
tered upon  his  priestly  duties,  first 
as  assistant  at  St.  Peter's  church, 
Belleville,  and  then  for  a  short  time 
as  pastor  of  St.  Francisville.  For  up- 
wards of  24  years  he  presided  as  pas- 
tor over  St.  Stanislaus  parish  of 


Macon,  with  Oconee  and  Moweaqua 
as  out-missions  attached,  which  posi- 
tions he  reluctantly  relinquished  when 
ordered  to  the  rectorship  of  St. 
Mary's  of  Quincy,  January  1,  1905- 
May  1906.  Owing  to  impaired  health 
Father  Maurer  was  successively  as- 
signed to  the  parishes  of  Brussels, 
Brigton,  Lillyville  and  Marine. 

Solemn  obsequies  were  held  March 
23,  1916,  at  St.  Anthony's  church  of 
Effingham,  after  which  his  remains 
were  escorted  to  St.  Anthony's  ceme- 
tery, followed  by  40  of  his  confreres 
and  a  great  concourse  of  sympathiz- 
ing, sorrowing  friends  and  former 
parishioners.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   PATRICK  McCABE. 


''My  God,  I  thank  Thee,  that  my  pain 
Of  day  by  day,  and  year  by  year, 
Has  not  been  suffered  all  in  vain". 

— Adelaide   Procter. 

The  galaxy  of  heroic  missionary 
priests  of  early  days  who  labored  so 
disinterestedly  in  planting  the  seeds 
of  religion  on  the  virgin  prairie  soil 
of  Illinois  would  remain  incomplete 
were  the  name  of  Father  McCabe 
omitted.  This  true  old  soggarth, 
born,  raised  and  ordained  in  Ireland 
had  come  to  Chicago  when  that  dio- 
cese was  still  in  its  formative  process 
He  was  one  of  the  thirty-two  priests 
present  when  Bishop  Quarter  con- 
vened the  first  synod  on  April  18, 
1847.  Three  years  later,  in  1850, 
Father  McCabe  was  sent  as  pastor  to 
Shawneetown,  and  from  1852-'54  to 
Mt.  Sterling.  Whilst  he  had  charge 
of  this  parish  our  veteran  priest  had 
likewise  charge  of  the  parishes  of 
Pittsfield,  Jacksonville  and  Beards- 
town,  to  all  of  which  he  devoted  most 
conscientiously  his  best  efforts.  The 
results  soon  became  apparent  as  the 
history  of  these  missions  show. 
Father  McCabe  had  popularized  him- 
self in  the  minds  and  the  hearts  of  his 
grateful  people.  At  this  time  Cairo, 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  rivers,  promised  to  become 
a  populous  center.  Church  and  pastor 
were  needed  for  the  growing  spiritual 
demands.  Father  McCabe  was  sent 
to  Cairo.  He  set  to  work  and  built 

Page  Eighty-Eight 


St.  Patrick's  church.  Had  the  sun 
been  shining  heretofore  on  the  zeal- 
ous priest's  endeavors,  now  dark 
clouds  were  to  gather  on  the  horizon 
around  him,  pathetic  were  the  years 
to  come.  Out  of  all  the  difficulties, 
false  accusations  and  petty  persecu- 
tions which  were  let  loose  against 
him,  Father  McCabe  emerged  a 
broken-down  man.  Father  Larmer, 
writing  of  this  episode  in  the  poor 
priest's  life,  says:  "St.  Paul  labored 
at  tent-making  to  earn  his  own  ne- 
cessaries. Father  McCabe  worked  as 
common  laborer  on  the  railroads  for 
seventy-five  cents  a  day,  paid  in 
orders  or  store  truck  and  said  Mass 
on  Sundays  for  the  few  Catholics. 
Jeans  were  his  clothing,  corn  bread, 
badly  baked  in  the  ashes  and  badly 
cured  hog  meat,  his  food,  for  such 
was  the  living  in  those  days  in 
Southern  Illinois.  His  niece,  a  bounc- 
ing, vigorous  Irish  girl,  started  a  re- 
spectable boarding  house ,  and  for 
three  or  four  years  after,  while  Father 
McCabe  lived,  kept  him  in  comfort  he 
never  knew  in  the  active  life  of  a 
priest." 

Whole-souled,  big  hearted  Father 
McCabe,  whose  name  was  one  to  con- 
jure by  in  every  Irish  cabin  and 
wherever  he  was  known,  died  at  Cape 
Girardeau,  in  1863. 

The   same  historian,   quoted   above, 


continued  to  say:  "Illinois  can  be 
proud  of  such  an  apostle.  In  zeal, 
sufferings,  labor  and  charity  unseen. 


Father  McCabe  has  not  been  excelled 
by  anyone." 

May  his  soul  rest  in  peace. 


REV.  JAMES  j.  MCCARTHY. 


Meeting  instantaneous  death  by  be- 
ing ground  under  the  wheels  of  a 
fast  speeding  railway  train,  what 
tragic,  horrible  ending  for  a  talented 
zealous,  bright  young  priest!  And 
yet,  such  was  the  deplorable  fate 


which  lurked  in  quest  of  Rev.  James 
J.  McCarthy,  when  one  rain-soaked 
September  day  in  1915,  he  in  company 
with  a  good  loyal  parishioner  crossed 
the  railway  tracks  near  Paris,  111.,  in 
a  closed  automobile.  A  thrill  of 
horror  seized  all  when  the  news  of 
this  terrible  double  accident  became 
known.  Sorrow  and  grief  entered 
many  a  home,  especially  in  old  Ire- 
land, where  at  Youghal,  in  County 
Cork,  the  bereaved  parents  and  rela- 


tives of  the  'unfortunate  young  priest 
reside,  and  where  he  was  ushered  in- 
to the  world  July  11,  1884. 

When  the  day  of  the  funeral  ar- 
rived, Friday,  September  17,  St. 
Mary's  Church  of  Paris,  111.,  was  un- 
able to  accommodate  the  thousands 
of  Catholic  and  non-Catholic  laity 
who  sought  admission  to  the  obse- 
quies. All  felt  that  in  the  death  of 
Father  McCarthy  they  had  lost  a 
distinguished  young  priest  who  had 
endeared  himself  to  them  by  his  kind 
and  amiable  qualities.  Men,  women 
and  children  gathered  sadly  around 
his  bier  and  offered  fervent  prayers 
for  their  stricken  priest  and  friend 
who  was  ever  ready  with  a  helping 
hand  in  the  face  of  trials  and  diffi- 
culties. Xot  the  least  conspicuous 
among  the  mourners  were  his  St. 
John's  sacerdotal  friends  and  fellow 
students  of  college  days  at  Water- 
ford,  Ireland.  The  celebrant  of  the 
Requiem  Mass  was  the  pastor  of  the 
parish,  Rev.  Patrick  Fallen,  Paris; 
deacon  the  Rev.  J.  Mee,  of  Jersey- 
ville;  sub-deacon,  the  Rev.  B.  Man- 
ning, of  Alton,  and  the  Rev.  W. 
O'Sullivan  of  Marshall,  master  of 
ceremonies. 

In  an  eloquent  sermon,  Rev.  W. 
Costello,  of  Charleston,  touched  on 
the  brilliant  student  career  of  the  de- 
ceased young  priest  and  his  remark- 
able achievements  in  his  first  and 
only  charge  as  assisstant  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's  church,  Paris.  Many  things 
conspired,  he  said,  to  enthrone  him 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Paris — 
his  Irish  wit,  his  fluent  oratory  and 
amiability,  but  these  were  only  inci- 
dental to  the  sacred  character  of  the 
priesthood  since  it  was  the  duty  of 
the  priest  to  become  all  things  to  all 
men,  etc.  The  following  beautiful 
poem  "In  Loving  Memory,"  was 
composed  by  (Mrs.)  Isabel  Burke,  of 

Page  Eighty-Nine 


Rocksavage,    Cork,    and    published    in 
one  of  our  Catholic  papers: 

That   ever-smiling   face    is   gone 
To   dwell   where   angels   tread, 

A   sainted  priest,   a  cherished  one 
Now  mingles  with  the  dead. 

To  do  his  Master's  will, 

Those   soulful  eyes  are  closed  for  aye, 
That  voice  forever  still. 
Sudden  the  call,  God  loved  him  so, 

This  blossom  passing  sweet, 
Too  fair  to  bloom  on  earth,  must  go 

To  grace  the  Savior's  feet. 


Surely  a  touch  of  Heaven's  Lord 
Dwelt  in  that  pure  young  heart, 

His  was  the  kind  and  soothing  word 
Why?      Ahl      So    soon   to   part. 

Far  from  his  Emerald  Isle  he  lies 

Wrapt  in  the  silent  clay ; 
Hearts   o'er  the   sea    'neath   Erin's   skies 

Mourn  for  that  dead  and  pray. 

Come!  Twine  the  Shamrocks  oe'r  his  grave, 

Shamrocks  of  Erin  blest ; 
May  the  dear  Lord  Who  died  to  save 

Grant  him  eternal  rest  I 


REV.   PATRICK  J.  McELHERNE. 


Arrtong  the  young  cleric  who  were 
elevated  to  the  prieshood  by  the  first 
Bishop  of  Chicago,  Rt.  Rev.  Wm. 
Quarter,  was  Patrick  J.  McElherne. 
The  day  on  which  he  received  Holy 
Orders  was  June  8,  1845.  At  the  first 
diocesan  synod,  held  in  the  chapel 
of  the  "Holy  Name,"  Nov. ,  10,  1847, 
Father  MsElherne  took  prominent 
part.  Thirty-two  priests  were  present 
Among  this  number  we  meet  with 
sonne  whose  names  have  become 
familiar  in  the  history  of  the  Alton 
diocese:  Revs.  Brickwedde,  Fort- 
mann,  Carroll,  Prendergast,  Hamil- 
ton, Kuenster  and  McCabe.  On 
April  10,  1848,  a  great  calamity  over- 
whelmed the  young  and  prosperous 
diocese  of  Chicago  in  the  death  of 
Bishop  Quarter.  The  Bishop  had  de- 
livered a  course  of  lectures  during  the 
Lenten  season,  and  on  Passion  Sun- 
day, after  a  powerful  discourse  on 
the  Church,  his  whole  frame  visibly 
trembled,  his  voice  gave  out,  but  not 
until  he  said:  "On  next  Sunday  I 
will  conclude."  Alas!  that  voice  was 
hushed  in  death  on  the  following  Sun- 
day. 

Shortly  before  three  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  10th  of  April,  Father 
McElherne,  who  was  pastor  of  old 
St.  Mary's  and  resided  with  the 
Bishop,  was  awakened  by  loud  moans. 
He  hastened  to  the  sufferer's  room, 
where  he  found  him  sitting  on  the 
side  of  the  bed  pressing  his  head  with 
his  hands.  He  soon  grew  worse  and 
signs  of  immediate  dissolution  mani- 
fested themselves  so  rapidly  that 
Father  McElherne  administered  the 
Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction; 
which  was  no  sooner  done  than  the 


soul  of  the  zealous,  pious  and  disin- 
teresited  Bishop  took  its  flight  to 
heaven,  there  to  receive  the  merited 
reward  for  his  many  achievements  in 
behalf  of  Holy  Church  in  the  State 
of  Illinois  and  the  city  of  Chicago. 
He  expired  in  Father  McElherne's 
arms. 

Under  the  second  Bishop,  Oliver 
Van  de  Valde,  Father  McElherne  was 
transferred  from  Galena,  where  he 
had  built  a  church,  St.  Michael's  to 
St.  Lawrence  congregation  of  Quincj 
(St.  Peter's),  as  successor  to  Rev.  'F, 
Derwin,  who  had  been  there  from 
1846— Dec.  1848,  following  Father 
Tucker.  Father  McElherne  served 
the  Quincy  parish  from  1849 — Oct. 
1852.  During  his  pastorate  he  did  a 
great  deal  in  pacifying  a  censorious 
clement  which  had  gained  the  uppei 
hand  in  that  city,  and  proved  him- 
self a  true  brother  and  counsellor  to 
Father  Brickwedde.  He  became  the 
first  resident  pastor  of  Jacksonville. 
Later  on,  from  Oct.  1857— May  1862. 
Father  McElherne  served  the  Quincy 
parish  a  second  time.  Trouble  had 
likewise  arisen  in  St.  Lawrence  church 
Bishop  O'Regan  deemed  him  the 
proper  priest  to  straighten  out  the 
difficulties  as  he  was  best  acquainted 
with  existing  conditions.  He  came 
to  Quincy  from  Springfield,  where,  in 
1856,  he  had  been  pastor  of  the  Im- 
maculate Conception  church.  Father 
McElherne  filled  the  office  of  Admin- 
istrator during  the  interregnum  be- 
ween  the  second  and  third  Bishops  of 
Chicago.  Larmer  says  of  him:  "His 
personal  dignity  was  inimitable,  and 
I  had  the  greatest  respect  for  him 
and  his  acquirements.  He  was  a 
scholar  of  the  old  school.  The  ancient 


Page  Ninety 


classics,  French  and  the  standard 
writings,  both  of  prose  and  poetry, 
were  ready  on  his  tongue.  Having 
served  the  principal  churches  in  his 
time  in  Illinois,  it  was  his  custom  to 
write  every  sermon  so  that  it  was  a 
literary  treat  to  hear  them,  although 


his  eloquence  was  not  of  the  finest 
sort.  He  could  be  exceedingly  sar- 
castic and  was  not  always  over  civil." 
From  Quincy,  Father  McElherne 
was  appointed  to  the  Rock  Island 
parish,  1862-1868.  He  died  about  1870 
at  Apple  Creek,  Illinois.  •  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  PETER  McGIRR. 


"Then  as  daylight  slowly  vanished 
And  the  evening  mists  grew  dim, 
Solemnly  from  distant  voices 
Rose  a  vesper  hymn". 

A  most  worthy  man  whose  name 
and  memory  remains  in  benediction 
with  the  parishioners  of  St.  Peter's 
parish  of  Quincy,  was  Father  McGirr. 
For  upwards  of  thirty-one  years  he 
was  the  shepherd  and  guide  of  that 


community.  None  more  revered  than 
he  has  ever  been  at  the  head  of  that 
congregation.  Father  McGirr's  name 
today  is  still  a  house-hold  word  with 
the  older  Irish  people  of  St.  Peter's, 
and  many  are  the  humorous  stories 
and  well-intentioned  puns  and  jokes 
they  delight  in  telling  about  him. 
He  had  captured  the  hearts  of  his 
people  in  an  uncommon  degree.  The 
trust  and  confidence  they  reposed  so 
entirely  in  his  prudence  and  good 


judgment  was  never  known  to  have 
been  misplaced,  as  Father  McGirr 
was  first,  last  and  all  the  time  watch- 
ing over  the  spiritual  and  material 
welfare  of  his  parochial  subjects. 
Under  his  pastorate  the  parish  rapid- 
ly developed,  its  present  status,  finan- 
cial and  otherwise,  is  mainly  due  to 
his  continued  efforts  and  unselfish 
exertions.  He  was  yet  one  of  the 
old  school,  sturdy,  blunt  and  honest, 
a  rare  type  of  those  whole  souled 
Irish  pioneer  workers  of  whom  we 
occasionally  read  or  hear  spoken  of 
by  older  people,  by  those  who  have 
still  known  the  old  silk-hatted  "Sog- 
garths"  as  they  travelled  about  either 
afoot,  on  horseback  or  on  handcar. 
That  class  of  men  is  no  more  nor 
ever  will  return  as  conditions  have 
changed  since  then,  and  the  quondam 
obligatory  "silk  tile"  has  been  rele- 
gated to  the  garret. 

Well,  our  subject,  Rev.  Peter  Mc- 
Girr was  born  June  29,  1833,  in  Fan- 
tona,  diocese  of  Clogher,  Ireland.  In 
1848  he  and  his  brothers  emigrated 
to  America,  settling  in  Massachusetts. 
Having  determined  to  study  for  the 
priesthood,  our  future  Quincy  pastor 
entered  Holy  Cross  College  for  the 
classical  course  of  studies  and  later 
the  Grand  Seminary  of  Montreal. 
Bishop  Juncker  ordained  Father  Mc- 
Girr to  the  priesthood  on  April  22, 
1862.  Pittsfield,  in  Pike  county,  was 
his  first  charge,  but  here  he  stayed 
but  a  few  months,  till  the  following 
October,  when  he  was  appointed  to 
the  pastorate  of  St.  Lawrence  church 
of  Quincy.  But  is  there  a  St.  Law- 
rence parish  at  Quincy?  No,  not  any 
more,  for  the  original  St.  Lawrence 
church  was  changed  into  that  of  St. 
Peter's  at  the  time  when  Father  Mc- 
Girr had  the  present  structure  erected. 

Page  Ninety-One 


His  first  care  was  to  open  a  school  in 
a  room  rented  for  this  purpose. 
Afterwards  a  new  two  story  brick 
building,  which  still  serves  its  purpose 
was  constructed,  adjacent  to  and 
south  of  the  church.  Sisters  of  Notre 
Dame  from  St.  Mary's  Academy 
were  engaged  as  teachers.  The  paro- 
chial school  at  once  grew  into  promi- 
nence for  within  a  few  years  after 
its  opening  there  were  as  many  as  250 
children  enrolled  as  pupils.  The  next 
step  he  took  was  to  purchase  a  house 
for  parochial  residence,  after  which 
came  the  greatest  of  all  propositions, 
a  new  church.  In  this  he  encountered 
however,  much  opposition  from  his 
people.  The  pastor  thought  the  build- 
ing too  old  and  dilapidated  to  serve 
its  purpose  much  longer,  hence  to 
radically  end  the  subsequent  heated 
controversy  he  ordered  the  old  shack 
to  be  torn  down  on  Easter  Monday, 


1868.  The  new  structure  to  be  erected 
—a  $70,000  one— is  the  present  St. 
Peter's.  As  the  people  were  neither 
numerous  nor  rich,  it  is  much  to  the 
credit  of  Father  McGirr  that  in  spite 
of  vehement  opposition  he  succeeded 
to  build  and  pay  for  such  a  costly 
building.  This  shows  the  man's  great 
influence  over  the  masses  as  such,  his 
determination  and  indomitable  will 
power. 

Father  McGirr  passed  away  in 
March,  1893.  For  many  years  he  had 
been  a  sufferer  from  acute  rheumatic 
afflictions  occasioned  by  the  constant 
dampness  of  his  residence.  As  soon 
as  the  financial  conditions  of  the 
parish  permitted  it  he  built  a  new  and 
elegant  rectorate  which  he  did  not 
live  long  to  enjoy.  His  remains  were 
interred  at  Bloomfield,  where  many 
of  his  friends  and  relatives  were  then 
residing.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  EDWARD  McGOWAN. 


"Here,  now,  it  is  required  among  the  dis- 
pensers that  a  man  be  found  faithful''.  1 
Cor.  4,  2. 

Father  E.  McGowan's  pastoral  life 
was  a  busy  and  industrious  one.  He 
never  let  an  opportunity  of  doing 
good  pass  by.  Ever  cheerful  under 
often  trying  conditions,  he  won  the 
love  and  veneration  of  his  devoted 
people,  the  well-wishes  of  superior 
and  fellow-priests.  He  found  relaxa- 
tion in  work,  and  hard-telling  strokes 
he  delivered  during  his  long  priestly 
career  in  the  various  parishes  over 
which  he  was  called  to  preside.  Re- 
sults are  the  best  gauge  by  which 
man's  worth  in  the  various  walks  of 
life  is  measured.  The  work  accom- 
plished by  Father  McGowan  testify  to 
his  determined  and  resolute  activity 
in  attaining  results.  Churches  and 
rectories  in  various  parishes  o-we 
their  existence  to  this  indefatigable 
priest.  His  first  mission  where  he 
displayed  his  industriousness  and  re- 
sourcefulness was  that  of  St.  Patrick's 
at  Grafton.  To  this  charge  he  was 
appointed  when  first  coming  from 
Ireland.  He  worked  for  his  Grafton 
people  from  Oct.  18,  1872-November 
18,  1875,  when  the  Ordinary,  recog- 

Page  Ninety-Two 


nizing  the  merits  and  ability  of  our 
subject,  assigned  him  to  St.  Stanis- 
laus of  Macon,  where  he  labored 
equally  well  from  1875-1883.  A  new 
congregation  was  to  be  started  at  that 
time  at  Dalton  City.  Father  Mc- 
Gowan was'  chosen  to  do  it  and  he 
did  it.  How  success  crowned  his  ef- 
forts is  manifested  by  the  pretty 
church  and  rectory  which,  during  the 
nine  years  of  his  incumbency,  he 
erected  there,  (1883-'92).  When  this 
new  parish  had  been  placed  on  solid 
footing  and  become  prosperous  and 
self-sustaining,  our  good  man  was 
transferred  to  the  neighboring  con- 
gregation of  Bethany,  where  his  stay 
lasted  from  1892-'97.  Here  he  was 
not  less  active  than  he  had  been  in 
previous  places,  for  St.  Cokimkill's 
church  of  Sullivan  is  built  and  Father 
McGowan  ministers  to  the  little  flock 
on  alternative  Sundays.  Next  he  is 
made  pastor  of  Pittsfield,  which  he 
soon  exchanges,  however,  for  the 
parish  of  Murrayville,  January  1,  1900. 
How  well  this  zealous  pastor  acquit- 
ted himself  of  the  various  duties 
which  he  performed  to  the  very  last 
is  known  to  everyone.  When  death 


claimed  him  at  Our  Savior's  hospital 
of  Jacksonville,  the  fruits  of  his  active 
and  industrious  life  were  ripe. 
Peacefully  he  slept  away  June  26, 
1905.  His  bier  was  surrounded  by 
Bishop,  priests  and  people,  all  sorrow- 
ing over  the  passage  of  God's  good 


and  faithful  steward.  He  was  buried 
at  Murrayville,  June  29,  Father 
McGowan  was  born  at  Ballinascreen, 
County  Derry,  Ireland,  March  9,  1842, 
and  was  ordained  at  All  Hallows 
June  24,  1872.  May  he  rest  in  peace. 


REV.  WILLIAM  McGUIRE. 


Farewell   friends  1      Yet,    not   farewell! 
Where  I  am,  ye  too,   shall  dwell. 
I  am  gone  before  your  face, 
A  moment's  time,  a  little  space. 

Germantown,  Pa.,  a  part  of  greater 
Philadelphia,  was  the  birthplace  of 
Rev.  William  McGuire,  whose  loss  in 
1914,  the  diocese,  Bishop  and  priests, 
greatly  deplored.  Deceased  was  born 
in  1858  and  had  completed  his  studies 
at  Niagara  and  Allegheny.  On  the 
feast  of  Corpus  Christi,  June  20,  1889 
he  was  raised  to  the  priesthood  in  the 
Franciscan  Seminary  chapel  of  Alle- 
gheny for  the  diocese  of  Alton  and 
at  once  assumed  charge  of  his  ap- 
pointment as  assistant  to  Rev.  P.  J. 
Mackin  of  St.  Patrick's  church  of  De- 
catur.  Two  years  he  was  at  Decatur 
and  thence  was  transferred  for  a  year 
to  Virden.  In  1892  Father  McGuire 
acted  as  assistant  priest  to  Rev.  Peter 
McGirr  of  St.  Peter's  congregation 
of  Quincy,  whence  in  1894,  he  as- 
sumed charge  of  St.  Augustine's  of 
Ashland.  Sickness  and  misfortune — 
the  burning  of  the  parochial  residence 
— overtook  him  here.  Having  suffici- 
ently recuperated  after  some  months' 
vacation  which  he  spent  in  Eastern 
watering  places,  decedent  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  Parish  of  Franklin  in 
1898,  where  after  years  of  fruitful 
labor  he  passed  away  in  1914.  His 
remains  were  interred  in  the  Catho- 
lic cemetery  of  Franklin. 

Of  the  worth  and  character  of  our 
departed  confrere,  a  friend  wrote  the 
press  of  Decatur. 

"Biographers    and    historians    may 


venture  estimates  of  the  truly  good 
and  great  but  these  estimates  are 
personal  and  inadequate.  Righteous 
living  has  many  attainable  degrees  to 
which  all  are  invited  and  to  which  all 
are  welcome.  Thus  it  follows  that 
we  find  around  us  so  many  good  peo- 
ple in  every  calling — no  matter  how 
sublime  or  how  humble,  living  right- 
eously, striving  to  make  themselves 
more  perfect  and  to  make  the  beauti- 
ful, world  even  more  beautiful  Thrice 
blessed  is  that  country  whose  people 
live  righteously,  for  in  it  we  find 
peace,  liberty  and  security.  The 
righteous  die,  but  their  deeds  are 
more  enduring  than  time  itself.  Ever 
increasing,  ever  expanding  and  always 
advancing,  righteous  living  blesses 
every  human  being,  and  the  best 
civilization  that  ever  existed  or  will 
exist  is  its  fruitage. 

"Just  what  degree  of  excellency 
Father  McGuire  reached  in  righteous- 
ness, I  do  not  know,  but  it  is  certain 
that  his  was  a  most  beautiful  charac- 
ter admired  and  beloved  by  everybody. 
For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
he  labored  in  the  Alton  diocese,  caring 
little  for  himself,  but  intensily  inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  of  others.  His 
kind  cheering  greetings — his  generous 
deeds  and  exemplary  life  weje  steps 
that  lead  to  the  throne  of  his  Divine 
Master.  God  knows  the  worth  of  a 
righteous  life  and  I  do  hope  and  pray 
that  Father  McGuire  now  wears  the 
crown  of  eternal  life."  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Ninety-Three 


REV.  FRANCIS  McVEIGH. 


"Hush!  for  the  ages  call 

The    Love     of     God     lives     through    eternity 
And  conquers  all!" 

He  was  an  ex-religious  who  had 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  priestly 
life  in  the  Chinese  missions.  He  came 
to  the  diocese  in  1899,  and  was  as- 
signed to  Bloomfield  with  St.  Joseph's 
on  Columbus  road  and  St.  Edward's 
of  Mendon,  as  out-missions.  Shortly 


after  he  changed  his  habitat  from 
Blooomfield  to  St.  Joseph's,  erecting 
there  a  neat  and  comfortable  resi- 
dence. Serious  sickness  overtook  him 
in  the  summer  of  1906;  he  entered  St. 
Elizabeth's  Hospital,  Chicago,  where 
he  died  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  R. 
I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  JOSEPH  MENGE. 


"...    and    the    fire    had   died    away". 

When  Rev.  Damian  Juncker,  of 
Dayton,  Ohio,  was  chosen  by  the 
Holy  See  first  Bishop  of  the  new  dio- 
cese of  Alton,  in  1857,  he  selected  the 
Rev.  John  Joseph  Menge,  a  priest  of 
Cincinnati,  to  act  as  first  Cathedral 
rector  and  chancellor  of  the  diocese. 
The  latter  accompanied  the  former 
on  his  advent  to  Alton.  Father  Menge 
filled  the  office  of  pastor  and  chancel- 
lor till  October  2,  1862,  with  great 
credit  and  ability.  Whilst  thus  em- 
ployed he  still  found  time  to  look 
after  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Ger- 
man Catholics  in  and  around  Alton, 
who  then  numbered  some  twenty-five 
families.  He  organized  them  into  a 
parish,  started  a  Ladies'  Altar  Society 
and  said  Holy  Mass  for  them  on  Sun- 


days in  a  small  rented  house.  These 
few  families  formed  the  nucleus  of  the 
present  strong  St.  Mary's  congrega- 
tion of  Alton.  Their  first  resident 
pastor  was  Father  Ostrop  in  1858. 
Father  Menge  was  recalled  by  his 
Ordinary  in  October,  1862,  back  to 
Cincinnati  to  'become  pastor  of  St. 
Francis  de  Sales  parish  of  that  city 
whilst  the  office  of  chancellor  was 
conferred  upon  Rev.  John  Janssen, 
who  subsequently  became  the  first 
Bishop  of  Belleville,  and  Rev.  T.  F. 
Mangan  was  made  rector  of  the 
Cathedral. 

Rev.  John  Joseph  Menge  was  born 
at  Osnabrueck,  Hanover,  July  12, 
1829,  ordained  to  the  priesthood  Octo- 
ber 18,  1854,  and  died  in  the  early 
seventies  in  Cincinnati.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   G.  MEITTINGER. 


"Et    dixit    ad    eum ; 
Ingredere    in    requiem    meam". 

When  on  February  1,  1866,  the 
priests  of  St.  John's  church  of  Spring- 
field had  discontinued  to  attend  the 
parish  at  New  Berlin,  it  received  its 
first  resident  pastor  in  the  person  of 
Rev.  Gustavus  Meittinger.  He  stayed 


at  New  Berlin  until  July  18,  1867, 
when  he  was  relieved  of  his  charge 
by  Rev.  Francis  Schreiber.  Little  is 
known  of  this  priest  beyond  the  fact 
that  he  died  as  pastor  of  St.  Ann's 
parish  at  Holstein,  Calumet  county, 
Wisconsin,  in  1867.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Ninety-Four 


REV.  FREDERICK  METZGER.D.  D. 


"While  I  live  a  wretched  beggar, 
One  bright  hope  my  lot  can  cheer; 
Soon,    soon   thou   shalt  have   thy  kingdom, 
Brighter  hours  are  drawing  near". 

Far  removed  from  his  colleagues 
and  friends  and  parishioners,  sepa- 
rated by  world-wide  distance  from  the 
scenes  of  his  eminently  successful 
priestly  endeavors  and  enterprises, 
Rev.  Frederick  Metzger,  one  of  God's 


noblemen,  respected  and  beloved  by 
all,  was  suddenly  summoned  by  death 
in  far  away  Bavaria,  on  Friday,  Oct. 
25,  1895.  It  was  but  few  weeks  prior 
to  this  that  decedent  had  been  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  St.  Anthony's  parish 
of  Effingham,  and  dean  of  that  dean- 
ery. Before  assuming  vigorous  hold 
of  the  reins  of  that  parish,  he  was 
advised  by  medical  authority  and  in- 
sistent friends,  to  first  go  in  quest  of 
health  and  strength  in  order  to  quali- 
fy himself  for  the  impending  onerous 
duties  and  responsibilities  which 
awaited  him  in  the  newly  appointed 
charge  of  Effingham.  With  the 
Bishop's  approval  -and  endorsement 
and  the  many  well-wishes  for  a  bon 
voyage,  he  sailed  for  his  native  land, 
Bavaria,  among  attractive  home  en- 
vironments to  fully  recuperate 


from  a  general  collapse  occasioned 
by  many  years  of  unremitting,  stren- 
uous work  and  worry.  This,  in  time, 
had  brought  on  chronic  heart  trouble. 
In  the  meridian  of  life  he  became  a 
premature  victim  of  his  calling. 
There  are  no  words  too  extravagant 
or  too  effusive  to  be  said  in  behalf 
of  Father  Metzger,  as  hosts  of  friends 
and  admirers,  both  Catholic  and  Prot- 
estant, will  testify  to.  When  the 
cable  then  flashed  the  news  of  his 
untoward  demise,  genuine  heartfelt 
sorrow  became  universal  in  places 
which  had  known  him.  Expressions 
of  sincerest  sympathy  were  but  poor 
symbols  of  expressions  when  a  man 
of  Father  Metzger's  mold  was  the 
themie,  a  gentleman  and  priest  of 
flawless  type  and  character.  Death 
overtook  him  when  visiting  at  the 
house  of  a  clerical  friend,  some  twenty 
miles  distant  from  his  own  home. 

The  Pike  County  Democrat  in  its 
edition  of  Wednesday,  Oct.  30,  1895, 
said  of  the  departed: 

"Dean  Metzger  while  rigid  in  his 
church  views  and  strict  in  the  faith- 
ful performance  of  all  duties  that 
pertained  to  his  priestly  office,  yet  so 
lived  and  moved  among  his  fellow- 
citizens  as  to  command  their  esteem 
and  respect  and  caused  them'  to  re- 
gret his  removal  from  their  midst. 
By  the  very  large  body  of  parish- 
ioners over  whom  he  was  set  as  their 
spiritual  guide  and  counsellor  he  will 
ever  be  remembered  as  one  well 
worthy  of  their  warmest  feelings  of 
affection  and  his  memory  be  long 
cherished  in  their  hearts." 

Rev.  Frederick  Metzger  was  born  at 
Waldmohn,  Rheinpfalz,  Bavaria,  Sept. 
22,  1843.  From  early  boyhood  days 
he  longed  to  dedicate  himself  to  God's 
service,  to  become  a  priest  and  work 
for  the  spiritual  good  of  man-kind. 
Since,  however,  young  Metzger  dis- 
played great  aptitude  for  mechanical 
skill  his  parents  placed  him  at  an 
early  date  in  a  cabinet  factory,  where 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  had  already 
advanced  to  the  position  of  foreman. 
He  couldn't  be  idle.  To  make,  build 


Page  Ninety-Five 


or  construct  something  was  his  de- 
light; this  trait  accompanied  him  into 
the  priesthood.  The  profession  which 
his  parents  seemed  to  have  chosen 
for  himi  did  not  satisfy  our  subject's 
yearning,  he  aspired  to  become  one 
of  God's  anointed.  To  attain  this  end 
he  set  out  for  America.  At  the  St. 
Francis  Seminary,  near  Milwaukee, 
the  future  Dean  of  Effingham  com- 
pleted his  classical  course  and  like- 
wise took  up  the  study  of  Philosophy 
and  Theology.  His  fondest  desire, 
nurtured  since  childhood  days,  be- 
came satisfied  when  on  Dec.  23,  1872, 
Bishop  Baltes  raised  him  to  the 
priesthood. 

At  Mishawaka,  Ind.,  the  young  neo- 
presbyter  celebrated  his  first  holy 
Mass  two  days  later,  namely,  on 
Christmas  morning,  1872.  Now  he 
was  ready  for  work,  however  ardu- 
ous it  might  be.  Accordingly  the 
Bishop  appointed  him;  to  Kaskaskia 
in  "Egypt,"  one  of  the  oldest  Catho- 
lic settlements  in  the  entire  Mississip- 
pi valley.  Here  he  remained  eight 
years  doing  such  noble  service  that 
even  today  yet  his  name  need  only  be 
mentioned  and  it  awakens  grateful 
and  loving  sentiments  in  the  hearts  of 
the  KasLaskians. 

On  Dec.  9,  1880,  Father  Metzger 
was  transferred  to  Pittsfield.  Fifteen 
years  of  strenuous  work  and  worry 
broke  down  his  former  robust  con- 
stitution and  caused  chronic  heart 
trouble.  He  was  sent  abroad,  travel- 
led from  place  to  place,  consulted  the 
famous  Father  Kneipp  at  Woerish- 
ofen,  rested  among  the  peaceful  sur- 
roundings of  his  home,  and  early  boy- 
hood scenes,  received  the  most  kind 
and  tender  care  of  his  nearest  rela- 
tives— and  yet  all  this  proved  ulti- 
mately of  little  or  no  avail.  At  the 
home  of  a  clerical  friend  at  Reifen- 
berg,  where  he  happened  to  be  a 
chance  visitor,  Father  Metzger 
breathed  forth  his  spirit  in  peace  on 
Oct.  25,  1895. 

Before  leaving  in  quest  of  strength 


and  health  we  know  that  our  de- 
cedent had  been  appointed  to  the 
parish  of  Effingham.  On  leaving 
Pittsfield  for  his  new  mission  field, 
everyone  Catholic  and  Protestant 
alike,  seemed  to  have  sustained  a 
great  personal  loss,  they  all  revered 
and  loved  him  tenderly. 

Besides  the  pastoral  and  parochial 
work  which  our  subject  discharged 
with  conscientious  exactitude,  he 
opened  up  in  the  fall  of  1882  a  paro- 
chial school  which  he  maintained  for 
more  than  six  years,  when  finally 
owing  to  a  lack  of  children  he  was 
obliged  to  discontinue  same.  His 
hospitality  knew  no  limits.  At  times 
he  invited  poor  seminarians  to  come 
and  spend  their  summer  vacations 
with  him  at  Pittsfield;  his  doors  were 
always  wide  open  to  receive  friends 
and  callers,  and  many  there  were  who 
journeyed  thither  in  order  to  enjoy 
his  magnanimous  and  liberal  hospital- 
ity. 

I  said  that  Father  Metzger  had 
great  aptitude  and  talent  for  mechan- 
ical work.  How  true  that  is  he 
showed  in  the  building  and  construct- 
ing of  church  .pipe  organs.  It  is 
justly  astounding  and  wonderful  how 
he  excelled  in  this  amateur  occupa- 
tion installing  a  fine  pipe  organ  which 
is  still  in  use  at  Kaskaskia,  his  first 
mission;  another  pipe  organ  he  in- 
stalled in  his  own  church  at  Pittsfield, 
and  yet  another  one  he  constructed 
for  the  St.  Francis  College  chapel  of 
Quincy.  Mt.  Sterling  and  Springfield 
churches  likewise  proclaim  the  merits 
of  Father  Metzger's  fine  pipe  organs. 
And  withal  he  was  humility  personi- 
fied. 

Thus  did  this  splendid  worker  of 
the  Alton  clergy  lead  an  active,  edify- 
ing, priestly  life.  By  word  and  ex- 
ample he  scattered  the  seeds  of  his 
holy  calling  promiscuously  about; 
how  much  good  they  effected  is 
known  to  God  alone.  May  the 
crown  of  eternal  glory  be  his  reward. 


Page  Ninety-Six 


REV.   GERARD  MIRBACH. 


Rev.  G.  Mirbach,  the  "grand  old 
man"  and  second  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's,  was  a  splendid  type  of  man, 


strong,  high-minded  and  of  noble  pur- 
poses, a  man  of  tact  and  refinement, 
of  erudition  and  learning.  In  ap- 
pearance he  was  of  rather  striking 
personality,  patriarchal  and  venerable 
looking,  earnest  and  severe  of  mien 
and  countenance  which  but  seldom 
was  lit  up  by  hearty  laugh  or  mirth- 
ful smile.  Long  gray  whiskers  added 
to  his  impressive  and  somber  bearing. 
And  yet,  withal,  he  was  a  man  of 
tender  sympathies  and  magnanimous 
disposition,  kind  and  generous  to  a 
fault.  His  highest  ambitions  culmin- 
ated in  promoting  the  interests  of  St. 
Mary's,  spiritual  and  material.  Hence 
it  is,  in  a  marvelous  degree  all  clung 
to  him  in  good  and  evil  days  seeking 
advice  and  counsel,  strength  and  com- 
fort with  a  confidence  and  assurance 
that  eloquently  proclaimed  the  har- 
monious and  intimate  bond  and  union 
between  pastor  and  people  as  it  ex- 
ists between  father  and  children.  And 
today  no  name  stands  forth  in  such 
vivid  relief  before  the  people  of  St. 
Mary's  and  no  former  pastor's  mem- 
ory commands  such  universal  love 
and  grateful  veneration  after  almost  d 
quarter  century  than  Father  Mirbach 
does.  And  well  he  deserved  the  peo- 


ples homage  and  confidence,  for  he 
was  surely  a  worthy  and  exemplary 
priest  of  God  and  a  great  benefactor 
of  man. 

Having  come  to  America  at  the  age 
of  32  years,  at  a  time  of  life  when  the 
acquisition  of  a  foreign  language  is 
by  no  means  as  easy  a  task  as  it  is 
in  earlier  years,  and  owing  to  the 
fact,  moreover,  that  the  various 
charges  over  which  he  presided  were 
almost  exclusively  all  German  it  is 
easy  to  explain  why  Fr.  Mirbach 
greatly  lacked  in  the  use  and  know- 
ledge of  the  English  language.  Hence 
his  official  communications  and  cor- 
respondences with  the  Diocesan  Chan- 
cery and  even  with  the  Bishop  were 
mostly  carried  on  in  German.  On 
the  other  hand,  however,  we  find  him 
to  be  a  tine  Latin  scholar;  in  that 
language  he  excelled,  he  wrote  and 
he  composed  in  it  with  remarkable 
facility,  ease  and  fluency,  of  which 
some  still  extant  manuscripts  bear 
ample  testimony.  As  an  example  of 
his  choice  latinity  I  may  allude  to  the 
beautiful  address  which  he  as  the 
Senior  of  the  Quincy  clergy  was 
asked  to  draft  on  the  accession  of  our 
present  Bishop  to  the  See  of  Alton. 
For  many  years  Rev.  Mirbach  suf- 
fered from  acute  rheumatism,  he  be- 
came practically  an  invalid  and  was 
necessitated  to  accept  aid  from  the 
Franciscan  Monastery  and  College  on 
Sundays  and  Holy  days  for  a  number 
of  years  until  in  November,  1893,  the 
Bishop  sent  a  young  assistant  priest 
to  St.  Mary's.  It  was  the  newly  or- 
dained Rev.  John  Wand.  Already  in 
1880  Fr.  Mirbach  had  sought  relief 
from  this  painful  malady  by  under- 
taking a  trip  to  Europe,  there  to  make 
use  of  the  world-renowned  Sulphur 
Springs  of  Germany;  again  in  1886 
he  was  most  urgently  induced  by  his 
Bishop,  Rt.  Rev.  P.  J.  Baltes,  to  try 
a  several  week's  course  of  mineral 
baths  at  Hot  Springs,  Ark.,  which  the 
Bishop  described  to  him  as  the  best 
baths  known  anywhere  in  the  world 
for  their  wonderful  curative  qualities. 
Again  we  find  our  rheumatic  sufferer 


Page  Ninety-Seven 


a  patient  at  the  Sisters'  Sanitarium 
in  Milwaukee.  All  these  trials  brought 
only  temporary  relief  but  effected  no 
cure. 

Of  all  the  tests,  trials  and  afflictions 
which  good  Father  Mirbach  had  to 
undergo  during  the  21  years  of  his 
pastoral  life  at  St.  Mary's,  none  was 
so  acute  and  severe,  however,  as  was 
the  mental  strain  endured  on  the 
night  of  February  the  2nd,  1891,  when 
proud,  noble,  beautiful  St.  Mary's  fell 
prey  to  fire  and  flame  and  was  reduced 
in  a  short  time  to  a  smouldering  heap 
of  ruins.  Poor  man  how  we  pitied  him 
when  this  sad  story  of  St.  Mary's  mis- 
fortune was  made  known  next  day  by 
the  papers.  The  strong  minded  pas- 
tor, however,  soon  rose  to  the  occa- 
sion, and  like  a  phoenix  from  the 
ashes,  thus  did  stricken  St.  Mary's 
under  the  undaunted  leadership  of 
Father  Mirbach  arise  to  vigorous  new 
life  and  activity,  and  soon  a  beautiful 
structure  arose,  more  handsome  and 
more  queenly  than  the  former  one 
had  been. 

Rev.  Gerard  Mirbach  was  born 
September  8th,  1832,  at  Gerderhahn, 
near  Aachen;  he  finished  his  higher 
classical  studies  in  1856  at  Neus  and 


then  for  three  years  went  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  Bonn  to  prepare  himself  by 
the  study  of  philosophy  and  theology 
for  his  chosen  vocation,  the  priest- 
hood. On  September  the  3rd,  1860,  he 
was  ordained  by  the  Auxiliary  Bishop 
of  Cologne,  Msgr.  Baudri,  and  in 
October  of  that  year  sent  as  Vicar  to 
Raeren,  where  he  stayed  'till  he  emi- 
grated to  America,  May  8,  1869.  Ar- 
rived at  Alton,  where  he  presented 
himself  to  Bishop  Baltes,  he  was  at 
once  assigned  to  the  parish  of  Fayette- 
ville,  111.  In  1874  Rev.  Theodore  Brue- 
ner,  then  pastor  of  our  St.  Mary's 
parish,  accepted  the  position  as  Rector 
of  the  Pio  Nono  College,  a  normal 
school  for  the  training  of  Catholic 
teachers  and  organists,  situated  at  St. 
Francis,  Wis.,  near  Milwaukee.  St. 
Mary's  therefore,  became  vacant.  The 
right  man  for  the  position  was  found 
when  the  Bishop's  choice  fell  on 
Father  Mirbach.  For  and  with  St. 
Mary's  people  he  worked  with  singu- 
lar devotion  for  21  years,  from  1874- 
1895,  when  on  April  the  2nd,  1895,  he 
was  summoned  by  the  Master  whom 
he  had  served  so  faithfully  and  so 
well  throughout  the  years  of  his  ex- 
emplary life  to  receive  the  promised 
reward.  May  he  rest  in  peace! 


REV.  LEOPOLD  MOCZYGEMBA,  0.  M.  C. 


"Then  I  heard  a   strain  of  music 
So  mighty,   so  pure  and  so  clear". 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixties,  a 
member  of  the  Order  of  the  Conven- 
tual Franciscans,  a  native  of  Selesia, 
came  to  the  diocese  and  was  given 
charge  of  the  parish  of  Carrollton. 
He  had  been  for  some  time  an  English 
Confessor  at  St.  Peter's,  Rome. 
From  Carrollton  Father  Leopold  was 
assigned  to  St.  Mary's  of  Litchfield, 
where  he  remained  about  four  years. 
This  was  in  1869.  The  diocese  of 
Chicago  holding  out  probably  better 
prospects  to  our  secularized  Fran- 
ciscan Father,  he  moved  to  that  city 


in   1873,   where  on  April   15,   1892,  he 
died. 

When  Father  Leopold  cam, e  to 
Litchfield  he  lost  no  time  in  opening 
a  school.  On  one  side  of  the  old  rec- 
tory he  put  up  school  rooms,  on  the 
other  he  built  spacious  apartments 
for  a  convent  and  academy  for  the 
use  of  the  Ursuline  Sisters  coming 
from  the  Motherhouse  of  Alton.  His 
zeal  and  successful  labors,  which  he 
displayed  in  Litchfield,  are  still  vivid- 
ly remembered  and  often  spoken  of 
by  the  older  members  of  the  parish. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page  Ninety-Eight 


REV.  JOHN  F.  MOHR. 


"The  shadows  grew  longer  and  longer 
The  evening  wind  passed  by; 
And  the  purple  splendor  of  sunset 
Was  flooding  the  western  sky". 

Thirty-five  years  pastor  of  one  and 
the  same  parish  is  a  record  seldom  at- 
tained and  hardly  ever  surpassed  by 
any  priest.  Looking  over  the  list  of 
departed  mem'bers  of  our  diocesan 
clergy  we  find  but  very  few  instances 
Where  priests  assigned  to  pastoral 
work  in  congregations  have  uninter- 
ruptedly retained  their  charges  for 


such  length  of  time.  True,  we  met 
with  some  who  not  only  equalled  but 
even  out-distanced  this  record,  but 
they  prove  to  have  been  rare  excep- 
tions. Various  reasons  may  be  ad- 
duced why  pastors  are  more  or  less 
shifted  about,  be  it  from  a  rural  to  a. 
city  parish  or  vice  versa.  Conditions, 
environments,  personal  traits  and 
characteristics,  constructive  parochial 
work  and  many  other  factors  may  en- 
ter into  the  consideration  of  appoint- 
ments, changes  or  removals  from  one 
place  to  another;  it  is  left  to  and  de- 
termined by  the  Bishop's  wise  discre- 


tion and  stern  authority.  The  one 
who  with  few  exceptions  seemed  to 
be  immune  from  experimental  tests 
and  changes  was  our  suave  and  amia- 
ble Father  John  F  Mohr,  of  New  Ber- 
lin, 111. 

Possessed  of  personal  charm  and 
magnetism  combined  with  child-like 
disposition  whom  no  one  who  ever 
met  the  kind-hearted  and  generous 
minded  man  could  withstand,  he 
counted  his  friends  and  loyal  adhe- 
rents by  hundreds.  Wherever  he  went 
Father  Mohr  made  conquests  winning 
over  to  him  new  friends  and  admirers. 
"Papa  Mohr"  his  clerical  friends  were 
pleased  to  call  him,  to  which  appel- 
lation he  offered  no  serious  objection. 
No  one  was  a  more  welcome  visitor 
to  the  home  of  friends  or  parishion- 
ers than  he.  A  humorous  vein  was 
his.  Commanding  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  anecdotes  and  catchy  little 
stories  which,  by  the  way,  he  was  at 
times  guilty  of  repetition  a  circle  of 
expectant  listeners  would  gather 
around  .him  to  enjoy  the  good  man's 
company  and  liberally  applaud  his  in- 
nocent sayings.  He  loved  the  plain 
people.  How  much  sunshine  did  he 
cast  into  gloomy  corners  thereby  dis- 
pelling depression,  \yorry  and  anxiety 
from  so  many  minds  and  hearts. 

A  model  of  a  worthy,  pious  and 
zealous  priest  was  he,  admired  and 
worshipped  by  his  time-honored  con- 
freres and  subjects  for  his  spotless 
priestly  life  and  gentlemanly  bearing 
always  trying  to  be  all  unto  all — 
omne  omni.  Punctuality  and  scrupu- 
lous exactitude  in  the  performance  of 
parochial  ministrations,  at  the  altar 
or  the  recitation  of  divine  office,  in 
the  confessional  or  on  sick  calls  char- 
acterized his  beautiful  life.  In  out- 
ward personal  appearance  Fr.  Mohr 
was  a  pattern  of  neatness,  which  is 
not  to  say,  however,  that  he  was  a 
stylish  dresser;  far  from  it,  for  our 
good  man  would  make  a  collar,  shirt 
or  suit  last  just  as  long  as  decency 
and  propriety  would  permit.  He  loved 
out-door  exercise,  to  roam  in  the 
woods  or  with  fishing-pole  sit  for 


Page  Ninety-Nine 


hours  on  the  banks  of  creek  or  pond 
and  watch  the  cork — usually  without 
result. 

To  make  private  home  life  interest- 
ing every  man  must  have  a  hobby. 
Father  Mohr  had  his.  And  what  was 
it?  Collecting  and  sacredly  storing 
away  old  newspapers  and  magazines, 
ordos  and  breviaries,  scrap-books  and 
tickets,  etc.,  for  if  anything  he  was  a 
man  of  great  economic,  conservative 
habits,  a  survivor  of  the  old  school, 
clinging  to  customs  and  traditions. 
An  accumulation  of  odds  and  ends 
was  found  among  his  modest  in- 
ventory, a  great  deal  of  which  served 
as  fuel  for  a  bon-fire  by  an  injudicious 
temporary  and  hasty  substitute. 

Rev.  John  Francis  Mohr,  a  dean  of 
the  Springfield  deanery,  was  born  at 
Minster,  Ohio,  on  February  2,  1839, 
At  the  age  of  23  years  he  was  raised 
to  the  priesthood  in  the  Alton  Cathe- 
dral by  the  first  Bishop  of  the  dio- 
cese, Rt.  Rev.  Damian  Juncker,  D.  D. 
After  filling  minor  charges,  Father 
Mohr  was  appointed  in  1870,  pastor 
of  the  Cathedral  parish.  He  acted 
successfully  as  such  for  nearly  three 
years,  when  the  Bishop  saw  fit  to 
place  him  at  the  head  of  that  ill- 
starred  Diocesan  College  of  Ruma, 
111. — now  the  convent-home  of  the 


"Sisters  of  the  Precious  Blood."  After 
the  short  incumbency  at  Ruma  he 
was  assigned  to  St.  Mary's  church  of 
New  Berlin,  111.,  in  January,  1873. 
His  death  occured  at  the  St.  John's 
Hospital,  Springfield,  on  Holy  Thurs- 
day, April  16,  1908.  La  Grippe,  super- 
induced by  paralysis  carried  him  off. 
The  solemn  obsequies  were  had  the 
following  Tuesday.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Or- 
dinary of  the  diocese  together  with 
64  members  of  the  clergy  were  there 
to  pay  their  last  tribute  of  love  and 
respect  to  him  whose  memory  will 
continue  to  live  enshrined  in  the 
hearts  of  all  who  knew  him.  On  this 
funeral  occasion  the  Solemn  Requiem 
was  said  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
James  Ryan,  D.  D.,  assisted  by  Rev. 
P.  Anselm  Mueller,  O.  F.  M.,  the  then 
venerable  and  popular  rector  of  St. 
Francis  College  of  Quincy,  as  deacon 
and  Dean  Michael  Weis,  of  Quincy, 
as  sub-deacon,  whilst  Revs.  Francis 
Zabell,  D.  D.,  of  Bunker  Hill  and 
Ferdinand  Stick  of  Highland,  acted  as 
assistants  to  the  celebrant.  Very  Rev. 
Timothy  Hickey,  V.  G.,  of  St.  Mary's 
Springfield,  delivered  a  pathetic 
funeral  oration  on  the  life  and  labors 
of  our  departed  one,  whose  body  was 
bedded  in  the  little  parish  cemetery 
of  New  Berlin,  111.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  MOLITOR. 


Cold  is   the  hearth  when  the  last   spark   dies, 
And  empty  and  lone  are  the  western  skies 
When   the  red   sun   sinks   in.  his   cloudy   bed; 
And    cold    are    our    hearts,    for    the    priest    is 
dead. 

In  the  cemetery  of  quiet  and  peace- 
ful Brussels  in  Calhoun  county,  we 
come  upon  a  small  weather-beaten 
headstone  which  'bears  the  inscrip- 
tion: "Sacred  to  the  Memory  of  Rev. 
John  Molitor."  He  who  sleeps  be- 
neath the  grassy  plot  and  whose 
name  is  recalled  by  the  humble  mon- 
ument was  the  first  resident  priest  of 
that  parish.  A  fellow-student  of  the 
late  Bishop  Baltes,  he  was  raised  to 


the  priesthood  together  with  him  at 
the  Grand  Seminary  of  Montreal  on 
May  21,  1853.  He  was  at  once  ap- 
pointed to  the  St.  Mary's  congrega- 
tion of  Brussels.  Father  Molitor  was 
a  native  of  Belgium  and  in  memory 
of  him  the  village  was  named  Brus- 
sels. His  time  of  labor,  however,  was 
very  short,  for  after  some  three 
months  it  was  already  rudely  inter- 
rupted by  death.  He  died  at  a  lone 
farm  house  after  a  very  brief  illness. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred 


REV.  JOHN  MOLITOR,  R.  D. 


There's  no  place  like  "Home". 
Forty  years  pastor  of  one  and  the 
same  parish  is  indeed  a  remarkable 
occurrance  and  seldom  equalled  in 
this  Diocese.  Such  extraordinary  rec- 
ord stands  to  the  credit  of  Reverened 
John  Moliter,  late  pastor  of  Sewton 
ord  stands  to  the  credit  of  Father 
and  Dean  of  the  Effingham  Deanery 
Quiet  and  unostentatious  in  the 
daily  discharge  of  his  duties,  during 
all  these  years  he  earned  the  respect 
and  well-wishes  of  all,  both  of  the 
clergy  and  laity.  The  high  regard 
with  which  his  Ordinary  looked  upon 
his  systematic  and  fruitful  labors 
caused  his  appointment  as  District 
Dean  and  well  did  Father  Miolitor 
merit  such  distinction  from  above. 
Everyone  heartily  seconded  the  un- 
sought promotion.  True  to  his  God, 


he  was  at  all  times  equally  true  to 
his  Bishop  and  Confreres.  Zeal  and 
devotedness  characterized  his  long 
pastorate.  The  parishioners  clung  to 
him  as  children  would  to  their  father. 
His  dictum,  was  decisive,  his  words 
conveyed  authority.  Keen,  therefore, 
was  the  pain  and  deep  the  wound 
caused  by  his  death  which  occurred 
January  17,  1917.  A  great  out-pouring 
of  sorrowing  people  on  the  day  of 
funeral  attested  the  universal  love 
and  esteem  the  departed  enjoyed  at 
Newton  and  surroundings. 

Father  John  Molitor  was  born  at 
Germantown,  111.,  Dec.  6,  1845  and 
ordained  to  the  priesthood  March  25, 
1874,  by  the  late  Bishop  Baltes.  His 
was  the  distinction  of  being  the  first 
native  diocesan  priest  ordained  for 
the  diocese  of  Alton.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  VINCENT  NAGLER. 


"Sitivit  in  Te  anima  Mea". 
Whilst  his  predecessor's  tenure  of 
office  lasted  but  from  September,  1872 
to  May,  1873,  Father  Nagler  served 
St.  Mary's  parish  of  Alton  likewise 
but  one  year,  from  May,  1873  till 
May  15,  1874,  the  date  of  his  death. 


Father  Nagler  was  of  frail  body  and 
poor  health,  nearly  always  sick  and 
unable  to  perform  his  manifold  duties, 
although  over-anxious  to  comply 
with  them.  Dropsy  caused  his  death. 
He  lies  buried  at  Alton.  May  God 
rest  his  soul. 


REV.  WM.  NEIL. 
(P.   Longinus,  O.  S.  B.) 


"Karth  and  heaven  tell  of  rest  that  shall  not 

cease ; 

Where  the  cold  world's  farewell 
Fades    into   endless    peace". 

In  exchange  for  Rev.  Theodore 
Bruener,  who  on  leaving  St.  Mary's 
parish  of  Quincy,  in  1874,  had  ac- 
cepted the  rectorship  of  the  Pio  Nono 
Normal  School  of  St.  Francis,  Wis., 
the  Archbishop  of  Milwaukee  permit- 
ted Rev.  Wm.  Neu  to  come  to  our 
diocese.  He  was  appointed  to  Bun- 
ker Hill  in  May,  1874.  The  new  pas- 
tor was  a  born  pedagogue  and  his 
best  exertions  were  used  in  that  di- 
rection. This  was  evidenced  by  the 
flourishing  parochial  school  which  at 
once  he  opened.  He  also  embellisher! 
the  church  and  reformed  the  choir  ac- 
cording to  the  Cecilian  idea.  In  1878 
Rev.  Wm  Neu  undertook  the  build- 
ing of  a  small  church  at  Gillispie 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Ore 


large  enough  to  accommodate  the 
small  congregation.  To  raise  the 
means  sufficient  and  necessary  to 
carry  out  this  plan,  our  gifted  priest 
delivered  a  series  of  lectures  in 
neighboring  places.  In  1879  Father 
Neu  returned  to  Wisconsin  to  relieve 
Father  Bruener  of  his  duties  at  the 
Normal.  In  1889  our  subject  became 
a  Religious.  He  joined  the  Benedic- 
tine Order  at  Atchison,  Kansas,  and 
was  henceforth  known  to  the  world 
as  P.  Longinus,  O.  S.  B. 

As  such  he  acted  as  assistant  at  the 
Abbey  church  till  1891,  was  pastor 
of  St.  Peter's  church  at  Council  Bluffs 


Iowa,  July,  1892-97.  From  January, 
1898-'99,  Father  Longinus  presided  as 
pastor  over  the  Abbey  church  of  At- 
chison. On  the  3d  day  of  March, 
1899,  good  Father  Neu  died  at  St.' 
Vincent's  Hospital,  Birmingham,  Ala- 
bama, and  was  buried  in  the  Abbey 
cemetery  at  Atchison,  March  7,  1899. 
He  was  born  at  Bocholt,  in  the 
Diocese  of  Muenster,  July  23,  1846, 
emigrated  with  his  parents  to  Ameri- 
ca in  December,  I860,  and  was  or- 
dained to  the  priesthood  by  Bishop 
Henni  of  Milwaukee,  at  St.  Francis 
Seminary  December  21,  1871.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  NEUHAUS. 


"Labia   mea   laudabunt   Te". 

Practically  the   whole   priestly 
career  of  our  subject  was  spent  in  the 


southern  part  of  the  state,  now  the 
Belleville  Diocese,  with  the  exception 
of  four  months,  when  he  acted  as 
pastor  of  St.  Boniface  congregation 
of  Edwardsville,  and  attended  St. 
Michael's  parish  of  Staunton,  which 
was  then  affiliated  to  St.  Boniface  of 
Edwardsville. 


Rev.  John  Neuhaus  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1844,  at  Coesfeld  in  West- 
falia;  studied  in  his  native  city  and 
at  Muenster  and  was  ordained  a  priest 
by  the  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  Muenster, 
Rt.  Rev.  John  Bossman,  on  June  21, 
1870.  He  became  stationed  at  Red 
Bud,  October  29,  1870-A  u  g  u  s  t  14. 
1871;  at  Belle  Prairie  from  August  15, 
1871-March  17,  1875,  and  attended  the 
missions  of  McLeansboro,  Mt.  Ver- 
non,  Enfield,  Carmi  and  Flora.  At 
Edwardsville  from  March  19,  1875- 
July  6,  1875,  after  which  he  was 
ordered  to  act  as  chaplain  of  the  Sis- 
ters of  the  Precious  Blood  of  Ruma. 
and  attended  from  there  Glasgow 
City,  now  Renault.  This  young  Sis- 
terhood is  greatly  indebted  to  his  pru- 
dent management  for  its  spiritual  and 
material  advancement. 

Father  John  Neuhaus  died  at 
Ruma,  February  22,  1905,  and  lies 
buried  in  the  parish  cemetery.  R.  I 
P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Tico 


REV.   WIMAR  OBERDOERSTER. 


"Dust  thou  art,  and 'into  dust  thou  shalt 
return".  Gen.  3,  19. 

In  the  fall  of  1888  a  talented  and 
promising  young  priest  arrived  in  the 
diocese  from  Germany.  But  shortly 


previous  thereto  he  had  been  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  at  the  American 
College  of  Louvain,  in  Belgium.  It 
was  Rev.  Wimar  Oberdoerster.  Born 
March  17th.  1860,  at  Lenhof  near 
Seelscheidt  in  the  Archdiocese  of 
Cologne,  he  finished  his  classical  stu- 
dies in  the  schools  of  his  native  place, 
whilst  for  the  completion  of  the  Sem- 
inary course,  Philosophy  and  Theo- 
logy, he  was  directed  to  the  American 
College  of  Louvain,  because  of  his 
decision  to  spend  his  future  priestly 
life  in  the  American  missions.  When 
the  time  for  ordination  drew  near,  he 
applied  for  admission  into  the  Alton 
diocese,  where  he  was  readily  ac- 
cepted. On  June  24.  1888,  the  class  of 
young  clerics  to  which  Father  Ober- 
doerster belonged,  was  raised  to  the 
priesthood.  A  few  weeks  later  we  ex- 
tended a  hearty  welcome  to  the  genial 
young  man,  who  was  introduced  to 
us  as  the  newly  appointed  assistant  to 
St.  Paul's  of  Highland.  During  the 
lengthy  absence  of  the  pastor.  Rev. 
Jos.  Meckel.  who  in  company  with 


the  present  Vicar-General  of  Belle- 
ville had  started  that  fall  on  a  Euro- 
pean journey  which  was  to  include 
a  trip  to  the  Holy  Land,  the  young 
assistant  was  given  charge  of  the 
parish  affairs  until  the  return  of  the 
pastor  the  next  summer.  How  well 
he  carried  out  his  responsible  obliga- 
tions is  attested  to  by  the  fact  that 
immediately  on  the  return  of  the  pas- 
tor to  Highland  the  young  man  was 
appointed  to  the  parishes  of  Troy 
and  Black  Jack.  Here  he  performed 
good  work  and  won  the  love  and 
esteem  of  every  one  in  a  marked  de- 
gree. After  several  years  of  fruitful 
labor  the  Ordinary  saw  fit  to  trans- 
fer Father  Oberdoerster  to  the  pros- 
pering young  parish  of  Pierron,  which 
had  been  founded  only  a  few  years 
before  'by  the  energetic  Father  Fut- 
terer,  whilst  stationed  at  Grant  Fork 
and  who  had  become  its  first  pastor. 
The  Bishop  at  that  time  was  in  quest 
of  a  talented  and  bright  young  priest 
to  send  to  the  Catholic  University  at 
Washington,  to  be  the  beneficiary  of  a 
scholarship  which  had  been  founded 
there  for  the  Alton  diocese.  His 
choice  fell  upon  the  pastor  of  Pierron. 
Father  Futterer.  In  consequence 
Father  Oberdoerster  was  transferred 
from  Troy  and  given  the  rectorship 
of  Pierron.  Here  he  completed  and 
embellished  what  his  predecessor  had 
to  leave  in  rather  unfinished  condition, 
church,  house  and  cemetery.  Hence 
the  Pierron  parish  under  his  prudent 
management  signally  developed,  both 
materially  and  spiritually,  it  grew  in 
numbers  and  waxed  strong,  so  that  in 
a  few  years  it  favorably  compared 
with  the  best  rural  congregations  of 
the  diocese,  thanks  to  the  good  men 
who  successively  guided  its  destiny. 

How  often,  however,  does  man  ex- 
perience the  truth  of  Holy  Writ: 
"Meda  vita  in  morte  sumus,"  "in  the 
midst  of  life  we  are  surrounded  by 
death." 

Father  Oberdoerster  had  now  been 
a  priest  for  upwards  of  nine  years. 
His  light-heartedness  and  sunny  dis- 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Three 


position,  his  enthusiastic  endeavors 
and  continued  good  health  were  to 
the  average  observer  a  guarantee  of 
many  more  years  of  precious  useful- 
ness in  the  Master's  cause.  The  career 
of  our  estimable  friend  of  Pierron 
augured  so  well.  Sickness,  however, 
dreaded  pneumonia  overtook  him  and 
ended  the  precious  life  and  valued 
services  suddenly,  on  Friday,  July  30, 
1897,  at  a  St.  Louis  hospital. 


He  was  buried  August  1,  in  the 
Catholic  cemetery  of  Pierron,  fol- 
lowed thither  by  a  vast  concourse  of 
people  from,  his  own  as  well  as  neigh- 
boring parishes  and  many  of  his  de- 
voted friends  and  admirers  of  the 
clergy. 

"His  race  was  run,  his  crown  is  won 
The   goal  is  reached  in   heaven, 
He  fought  the  fight,  he  kept  the  Faith 
For  which   that  crown  is  given". 


REV.  CHARLES  OBERPRANTACHER. 


"And   leaving  all  behind, 
Come  forth  alone, 
To  join  the  chosen  band 
Around   the   throne". 

In   an    interesting   historical   souve- 
nir-edition   of    St.    Paul's    parish    of 


Highland,  issued  September,  1896,  the 
author,  Rev.  Jos.  Meckel,  devotes  a 
brief  chapter  (page  94)  on  his  worthy 
and  distinguished  predecessor,  Rev. 
Charles  Oberprantacher.  By  the 
transfer  of  Rev.  P.  Peters  to  St. 
Mary's,  Alton,  he  was  appointed  to 
succeed  him  as  pastor  of  St.  Paul's. 
Prior  to  this  he  had  been  pastor  of 
the  parish  at  Millstadt  from  August, 
1866-August,  1868,  where  he  suc- 
ceeded in  erecting  a  $4,000  school 
house;  from  1868-73,  pastor  at  Free- 
burg,  and  from  Novemiber  73-August, 
74  at  Edwardsville.  At  the  time  when 
this  change  of  pastors  was  made, 


Highland  was  not  a  desirable  place  for 
any  priest  to  covet.  Repeated  disturb- 
ances which  had  occured  under 
Fathers  Limacher,  Bartels  and  Peters, 
had  given  that  congregation  "a  black 
eye,"  each  one  of  these  able  and  effici- 
ent men  had  left  without  regret.  Father 
O'berprantacher,  says  our  historian, 
was  eminently  a  man  of  peace,  a  paci- 
fist and  with  his  coming  an  era  of 
peace  seemed  to  have  dawned  upon 
that  fractious  parish.  The  tomahawk 
was  buried  and  the  future  promised 
bright.  At  once  the  new  incumbent 
proceeded  to  make  some  necessary  re- 
pairs and  purchased  two  lots  adjoining 
the  church  property.  New  spiritual  life- 
began  to  awaken  in  the  parishioners 
and  the  schools  soon  flourished.  All 
this,  however,  was  to  be  of  but  short 
duration  for  within  less  than  two 
years  Father  Oberprantacher  sent  his 
resignation  as  pastor  of  Highland 
and  asked  the  Bishop  that  he  not  only 
be  relieved  of  his  charge  but  be  per- 
mitted to  return  to  his  native  land, 
mountainous,  beautiful  Tyrol.  At  the 
end  of  May,  1876,  he  left  Highland 
and  sailed  for  Europe,  never  to  re- 
turn. 

Rev.  Charles  Oberprantacher  was 
born  March  19.  1829,  at  Biffian  in  the 
Tyrolean  Alps.  He  was  ordained  at 
Brixen,  July  15,  1855,  and  came  to 
America  in  July,  1866.  After  his  re- 
turn to  Europe  he  was  assigned  a 
large  parish  in  his  native  country.  We 
are  not  in  position  to  state  when 
and  where  our  former  diocesan  priest 
died  nor  where  he  was  buried.  R. 
I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Four 


V.  REV.  P.  J.  O'HALLORAN,  V.  G. 


''The  sun  shone  bright  again 
When  slowly  up  the  highway 
Came  a  long  funeral  train". 

This  popular  priest,  for  more  than 
25  years  pastor  of  St.  Patrick's  of 
East  St.  Louis,  was  one  of  the  most 


prominent  clergymen  of  the  state.  He 
was  born  August  15,  1830,  in  Bluff, 
County,  Limerick,  Ireland.  At  the  age 
of  1C1  years  he  was  brought  to  this 


country  by  his  parents,  who  settled 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  received  his 
education  at  Bardstown  Seminar}', 
Kentucky,  and  was  finally  graduated 
from  Mount  St.  Mary's,  Cincinnati. 
Raised  to  the  priesthood  in  1862, 
Father  O'Halloran  held  successively 
the  pastorate  of  Jacksonville,  Bunker 
Hill  and  Cairo,  in  each  of  the  places 
building  a  church.  During  his  incum- 
bency at  Bunker  Hill  he  erected  also 
St.  Michael's  church  of  Staunton  in 
1873,  and  greatly  distinguished  him- 
self for  his  financial  ability  in  church 
matters  and  was  made  Vicar  General 
of  the  diocese.  He  built  a  parochial 
residence  and  the  convent  at  East  St 
Louis  and  moreover  purchased  the 
present  Mount  Carmel  cemetery  for 
$12,000.  Furthermore  Father  O'Hal- 
loran organized  a  building  and  loan 
association  that  has  built  72  homes 
for  its  members.  He  died,  greatly  re- 
gretted, December  29,  1898,  and  was 
buried  in  Mt.  Carmel  cemetery  of  East 
St.  Louis.  R.  1.  P. 


REV.  FRANCIS  AUGUSTIN  OSTROP. 


Beyond   life's  stormy  seas  of  woe 

There   is  a  happy  shore, 
Where  tears  of  sorrow  never  flow, 

And  trials  are  no  more. 

Rev.  Francis  Augustine  O  s  t  r  o  p 
was  born  at  Dorsten  in  Westfalia, 
September  1,  1823.  From  his  earliest 
years  he  exhibited  an  ardent  desire  to 
enter  the  holy  ministry,  but  his 
parents  were  too  poor  to  enable  him 
to  accomplish  it  For  seven  years  he 
worked  as  painter  and  cabinet  maker. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  began 
the  study  of  classics  in  his  native 
place,  but  a  few  months  afterwards 
removed  to  Coesfeld.  Such  was  his 
diligence  and  application  to  study 
that  in  three  years  he  made  double 
time  and  went  through  six  classes.  At 
the  same  time,  as  a  means  of  support. 
he  gave  private  lessons  to  less  ad- 
vanced students.  After  graduating  he 
repaired  to  Muenster,  there  to  study 
Philosophy  and  Theology.  On  leav- 
ing Muenster  he  became  for  awhile 
a  tutor  in  the  family  of  Count 
Schmiesing-Kerstenbrock,  whereupon 


for  two  years  he  acted  as  teacher  at 
the  Osnabrueck  High  school,  giving 
popular  lectures  on  astronomy.  After- 
wards for  five  years  he  had  charge  of 
the  Ibbenbueren  High  school. 

When,  in  1857,  Bishop  Juncker  went 
to  Westfalia  to  recruit  subjects  for 
his  diocese,  Francis  Ostrop  offered 
his  services,  which  were  gladly  ac- 
cepted. He  reached  Alton,  November 
11,  was  sent  to  the  Carondelet  Semin- 
ary, of  St.  Louis,  and  ordained 
May  1,  1858.  His  first  appointment 
was  to  St.  Mary's  church  of  Alton.  He 
found  a  two-story  building,  erected 
the  previous  year  by  Rev.  John 
Menge,  with  the  help  of  the  eight 
families  constituting  the  congregaton 
and  serving  for  church,  school  and 
rectory,  with  a  debt  of  $3,OCO.  On 
Trinity  Sunday,  1860,  a  tornado  de- 
stroyed the  building,  burying  in  its 
ruins  priest  and  housekeeper:  both, 
however,  were  safely  extricated  from 
their  perilous  plight.  He  was  anxious 


II,,,    Hundred  and  Fit 


to  build  anew,  but  the  debt,  how- 
ever, had  first  to  be  liquidated.  Un- 
able to  find  sufficient  help  at  home  he 
obtained  permission  to  seek  it  abroad. 
He  went,  in  turn,  to  Cincinnati,  Cov- 
ington,  St.  Louis,  Quincy;  Belleville, 
and  was  thus  enabled  to  begin  the 


building  of  the  church,  110x50,  with 
steeple  100  feet  high.  He  also  built 
a  rectory  which  for  a  time  was  partly 
used  for  a  boys'  school,  the  girls 
attending  the  Ursuline  Academy.  In 
1869  he  built  a  High  School  at  the 
cost  of  $11,000. 

In  September,  1872,  he  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  St.  Boniface  parish 
of  Quincy.  There  he  soon  erected  a 
school,  at  the  time  one  of  the  finest 
parochial  school  buildings  in  the 
West,  purchased  property  and  was 
resolved  on  building  a  $100,000 
church,  which  no  doubt  he  would  have 
accomplished  had  not  the  debt  of 
$82,CCO  alarmed  the  less  sanguine 
hopes  of  the  Bishop  and  aroused  op- 
position- and  protest  from  the  mem- 
bers. Hence  his  plan  failed. 

On  September  1,  1887,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Carlinville,  there  to  become 
the  rector  of  St.  Joseph's  parish.  The 
congregation  had  but  forty  families 
and  the  overhanging  debt  amounted 


to  $10,000.  The  condition  of  affairs 
seemed  desperate.  The  new  rector 
in  no  way  dismayed,  went  to  work 
with  all  energy,  started  four  associa- 
tions, to  take  in  all  the  members,  the 
receipts  going  to  the  benefit  of  the 
church.  He  soon  paid  the  whole  debt, 
built  a  becoming  school  for  which  he 
purchased  ground,  bought  a  rectory 
for  $2,200  and  put  an  addition  30x35 
to  the  sanctuary  at  a  cost  of  $4,000. 
In  1891  his  health  was  failing  fast. 
He,  nevertheless,  during  the  winter 
1891-92  attended  to  his  duties  with 
the  occasional  help  of  neighboring 
priests.  His  condition  continued  to 
grow  worse.  Father  Ostrop  realized 
the  nearness  of  the  last  summons  and 
duly  prepared  himself  for  the  last 
call.  He  piously  died  on  June  26, 
1892.  His  funeral  was  held  June  30, 
attended  by  the  Bishop,  forty  priests 
and  a  vast  concourse  of  people. 

Father  Ostrop  was  a  wonderful 
man,  an  enthusiast  about  his  work 
and  had  the  peculiar  talent  of  spread- 
ing the  sacred  fire  around  him.  Plain 
and  simple  in  his  way  of  living,  he 
was  always  very  kind  and  hospitable. 
In  him  the  poor  and  afflicted  found 
a  friend  never  failing,  education  a 
warm  champion,  science  an  ardent  de- 
votee. 

Have  you  ever  observed  that  quad- 
rangular glass  enclosure  on  top  of 
St.  Boniface  school  building?  It  was 
Father  Ostrop's  observatory,  where 
he  loved  to  spend  many  an  hour  dur- 
ing clear,  bright  nights,  with  his  large 
adjustable  telescope,  studying  the 
constellations  in  the  starry  heavens 
above. 

His  voluminous  library  which  filled 
two  large  rooms,  was  probably  one  of 
the  choicest  and  most  valuable  in  the 
possession  of  any  private  individual. 

What  has  become  of  that  splendid 
library  with  its  many  valuable  books, 
charts  and  manuscripts?  Scattered 
here,  there,  or  everywhere.  Some 
were  sold  for  a  song,  others  given 
away.  Too  bad,  indeed,  for  such  loss 
to  the  diocese  would  seem  well  nigh 
irreparable. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Six 


Father  Ostrop  was  loved  and  ad- 
mired by  all  that  knew  him.  Peace 
to  his  noble  soul.  R.  I.  P. 

P.    S.     For    a    detailed    account    of 


the  life  of  Father  Ostrop,  see  his  ex- 
haustive biography  written  in  1894  by 
Rev.  B.  Hartmann. 


REV.  ADAM  J.  PENNARTZ. 


"Dirigatur,   Domine,  oratio  mea 
Sicut  incensum  in  conspectu  tuo". 

To  the  inscrutable  designs  of  Divine 
Providence  it  seemed  good  to  call 
from  hence  on  November  10.  1917,  the 


Rev.  Adam  J.  Pennartz,  pastor  of  St. 
Michael's  parish  of  Sigel,  111.,  dean  of 
the  Effingham  district  and  member  of 
the  board  of  diocese  examiners. 

With  his  passing  a  prominent 
priest  and  eminent  man  has  passed 
away,  one  who,  as  it  were,  towered 
above  his  fellow-priests  by  a  certain 
air  and  semblance  of  superiority, 
whose  opinion  and  judgment  in  mat- 
ters ecclesiastical  and  profane  carried 
weight  and  conviction,  in  whose  com- 
pany it  was  a  pleasure  to  be.  Of  him 
it  was  pertinently  said  at  the  obse- 
quies: ''He  was  every  inch  a  gentle- 
man, every  inch  a  priest."  To  his 
parishioners  Father  Pennartz  proved 
at  all  times  a  wise  and  prudent  coun- 
sellor, a  true  father  and  friend.  In 
the  performance  of  sacred  functions 
no  one  was  more  exact  and  conscien- 


tious than  he.  Great  were  the  results 
he  achieved  during  the  44  years  of 
ministry.  The  various  parishes  over 
which  he  was  placed  to  preside  give 
eloquent  testimony  of  his  unflagging 
zeal  and  devotion  to  his  holy  calling, 
Arcola,  Paris,  Ste  Marie,  particularly 
however,  Assumption  (1881-'88)  with 
Taylorville  as  mission  where  he  con- 
structed the  present  church  edifice,  and 
Springfield  (1888-'96.)  Here  St.  Peter 
and  Paul's  substantial  parochial  school 
building  stands  a  lasting  monument 
to  his  earnest  advocacy  of  things 
educational.  The  splendid  condition 
of  St.  Michael's  congregation  of  Sigel, 
both  spiritual  and  material,  is  pre- 
eminently due  to  the  efforts  of  its  now 
fallen  leader. 

The  joyous  strains  of  the  Golden 
Jubilee  celebration  of  his  beloved 
Sigel  parish  were  still  vibrating  on 
the  air  when  the  heralds  of  the  ap- 
proaching pale  messenger  announced 
themselves  to  him  under  the  guise  of 
vehement  heart-attacks  which  medi- 
cal authority  atonce  declared  serious 
with  probably  early  fatal  ending.  The 
prediction  proved,  alas,  too  true,  for 
death  claimed  the  good,  valiant  man 
scarcely  a  week  later  at  St.  Anthony's 
Hospital  of  Effingham  whither  the 
suffering  patient  had  been  brought 
for  treatment  and  rest.  When  on  the 
evening  of  November  10,  towards  mid- 
night the  nursing  Sister  approached 
the  patient's  bedside  to  administer  a 
cordial,  good  Father  Pennartz  had 
peacefully  slumbered  away. 

Our  departed  was  born  July  7, 
1850  at  Trevern  in  the  Archdiocese  of 
Cologne,  studied  at  the  American  Col- 
lege of  Louvain  and  was  ordained  a 
priest  at  Brussels  in  Belgium  July  27, 
1873,  coming  to  this  country  and  the 
Alton  Diocese  in  October  of  that 
same  year.  May  heaven  be  his  reward! 

Page   One  Hundred  and  Set-en 


REV.  PETER  PETERS. 


"How    peaceful    and    how    powerful    is    the 
grave ! ' ' 

We  turn  our  spirit-gaze  to  the  con- 
secrated little  mound  in  Alton's  Cath- 


olic cemetery,  beneath  which  lie  en- 
tombed the  ashes  of  Rev.  Peter 
Peters,  one  of  the  diocese's  illustrious 
dead.  Born  in  the  town  of  Keppelen 
in  Rhenish  Province,  near  the  border 
of  Holland,  on  April  15,  1833,  he 
pursued  a  course  in  classics  in  his 
home  town,  thereupon  entering  the 
Academy  of  Emmerich  for  the  study 
of  Philosophy  and  Theology.  After 
two  years  of  close  application  to  his 
studies  in  the  Academy  the  young 
aspirant  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  landing  at  Alton  in  1859. 
Shortly  after  his  arrival,  at  the  solici- 
tation of  Bishop  Juncker,  who  had 
been  consecrated  first  Bishop  of  the 
Alton  diocese  but  a  short  time  previ- 
ously, he  embarked  for  Cape  Girar- 
deau,  Mo.,  and  completed  his  theo- 
logical course  in  the  Seminary  of  that 
place.  On  April  21,  1861,  the  ambiti- 
ous young  cleric  was  ordained  to  the 
Priesthood  by  Bishop  Juncker,  cele- 
brated his  first  Holy  Mass  at  SS. 
Peter  and  Paul's  church  of  Spring- 
field, where  Father  John  Janssen, 
afterwards  Bishop  of  Belleville,  a 
countryman  of  his.  was  pastor. 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Eight 


Father  Peter's  first  appointment  was 
to  St.  Mary's  of  Edwardsville.  After 
two  years  service  at  Edwardsville, 
during  which  time  he  erected  a  sub- 
stantial residence  and  started  a  paro- 
chial school,  Bishop  Juncker  sent  him 
to  Highland,  that  there  in  the  roll  of 
peacemaker  he  might  succeed  in  con- 
ciliating opposing  and  warring  fac- 
tions which  until  then  had  caused  the 
lives  of  resident  pastors  to  become 
miserable.  His  transfer  to  Highland 
was  in  1863  and  lasted  eleven  years 
till  1874.  During  all  these  years  he 
ministered  faithfully  not  only  to  the 
spiritual  needs  of  his  Highland  people 
but  likewise  to  those  of  the  neighbor- 
ing St.  Elizabeth's  parish  of  Marine. 
At  this  latter  place  he  was  instru- 
mental in  having  a  parochial  residence 
built.  He  labored  most  zealously  for 
the  good  of  his  congregation,  yet 
periodical  squabbles  were  want  to 
turn  up,  for  the  fighting  spirit  and 
antagonism  to  priestly  authority  was 
peculiar  to  the  Highlanders.  Father 
Peter's  firmness  of  character,  how- 
ever, together  with  his  model  priestly 
bearing,  gradually  subdued  the  bel- 
ligerence of  the  malcontents;  it  almost 
disappeared  under  the  suave  and  leni- 
ent rule  of  his  successor,  Rev.  Father 
Joseph  Meckel,  who  was  appointed 
pastor  of  St.  Paul's  of  Highland, 
while  our  Father  Peters  was  trans- 
ferred to  St.  Mary's  of  Alton,  which 
parish  had  become  vacant  by  the 
transfer  of  Rev.  Francis  Ostrop  to 
St.  Boniface  of  Quincy,  111.  Rev. 
August  Schlegel  (the  sledgehammer 
priest)  muzzled  the  rest  of  the  kickers 
when  he  became  their  pastor.  Today 
Highland  again  ranks  with  the  fore- 
most parishes  of  the  diocese,  its  can- 
tankerous spirit  is  subdued,  the  paro- 
chial prize-fighters  are  either  dead  or 
gone.  Father  Peters  took  charge  of 
St.  Mary's  of  Alton  in  1874.  He  was 
a  man  who  for  all  time  left  a  lasting 
impress  upon  affairs  ecclesiastical  of 
Alton.  Soon  after  coming  to  his  new 
parish  the  zealous  priest  worked  with 
might  and  main  to  further  the  status 
of  St.  Mary's  parochial  school  then 
as  now  under  the  efficient  manage- 


ment  of  the  Xotre  Dame  Sisters. 
With  the  combined  efforts  of  priest 
and  teachers,  great  results  were  ob- 
tained so  that  today  St.  Mary's  school 
ranks  with  the  best  in  that  city. 
Father  Peters,  moreover,  was  a  man 
of  distinct  business  qualifications. 
Prudence  and  sagacity  advised  the 
purchase  of  adjoining  property;  thus 
it  was  that  in  a  quiet  and  undemon- 
strative way  lot  after  lot  and  house 
after  house  passed  into  the  ownership 
of  St.  Mary's,  so  that  before  long  the 
parish  commanded  the  whole  block. 
And  he  it  was  who  rested  not  until 
the  present  splendid  $60,CCO  church 
was  erected,  a  monument  which  for 
all  time  will  continue  to  proclaim  the 
untiring  zest  and  zeal  of  Rev.  Peter 
Peters.  And  when  the  day  of  its 
consecration  came,  the  climax  of  hap- 
piness and  joy  to  the  then  aging  man, 
his  countenance  was  beaming  with 
happy  contentment,  it  seemed  that  he 
had  no  more  desire  or  need  of  any 
new  measure  to  be  filled.  The  con- 
secrating Bishops  on  this  occasion 
were  the  Right  Revs.  James  Ryan  of 
Alton  and  John  Janssen  of  Belle- 
ville, whilst  the  pastor,  Father  Peters, 
sang  the  Solemn  Mass  at  which  the 
Very  Rev.  Michael  Richard  O.  F.  M., 


delivered  a  grand  and  powerful  ser- 
mon. Father  Peters  took  delight  in 
showing  the  occasioned  caller  his 
newly-purchased  additional  property. 
He  would  don  an  old  overcoat  over 
his  cassock,  be  it  winter  or  summer, 
perch  a  biretta  upon  his  head,  light  an 
old,  time-honored,  long  meerschaum 
pipe  and  ready  he  was  for  the  trip 
around  his  property.  This  perform- 
ance the  good  old  man  repeated  as 
often  as  a  visitor  would  call  on  him. 

Quietly  and  peacefully  without 
making  any  noise  or  stir,  he  lived  a 
most  useful  life  in  Alton,  and  just  as 
quietly  and  peacefully  was  his  passing 
away  on  March  5th,  1896.  His  mem- 
ory we  all  affectionately  love  and 
cherish.  His  body  sleeps  in  the  grave 
but  his  spirit  rests  in  Paradise  with 
God. 

In  the  demise  of  Father  Peters,  Al- 
ton had  sustained  a  great  loss. 
A  man  of  fine  natural  gifts  and  high 
accomplishments  his  departure  not 
only  affected  St.  Mary's  of  Alton  but 
was  keenly  felt  by  the  diocese  at  large. 

May  this  worthy  priest  of  God  who 
so  insessantly  worked  in  the  cause  of 
Holy  Church  rest  forever  in  God's 
Holy  peace. 


REV.  MICHAEL  PRENDERGAST. 


Owing  to  the  early  period  when  he 
worked  in  this  portion  of  the  vin- 
yard  of  the  Lord,  the  Rev.  Michael 
Prendergast  should  not  be  passed 
over  in  silence.  Father  Prendergast 
was  born  at  New  Park,  County  Wex- 
ford,  Ireland  in  the  year  1810.  He 
studied  for  the  priesthood  at  Carlow 
College.  There  he  was  ordained  for 
the  Archdiocese  of  Dublin.  For  some 
time  he  was  in  the  mission  of  Ank- 
low,  County  Wicklow.  After  spend- 
ing ten  years  on  the  mission  in  Ire- 
land, he  came  to  the  United  States, 
affiliating  himself  with  the  diocese  of 
Chicago,  and  was  sent  at  once  as'  an 
assistant  to  Rev.  M.  Carroll  of  Alton. 
This  was  in  1853.  In  the  following 
year,  1854,  Rev.  M.  Prendergast  was 
sent  to  Decatur  to  'become  the  first 
resident  rector  of  St.  Patrick's.  He 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Nine 


remained  two  years  at  Decatur,  from 
where  he  attended  Winchester,  Pitts- 
field  and  other  places,  till  replaced  by 
Rev.  Thomas  Cusack.  Next  we  find 
him  starting  the  congregation  of 
Winona,  Minn.  In  1868  he  was  at 
Danville,  111.,  which  he  left  to  take 
charge  of  Batavia,  attending  at  same 
time  Geneva  and  St.  Charles.  He 
died  at  Batavia,  March  3,  1875  and 

REV.  THOMAS 

Rev.  Thomas  Quigley  was  ordained 
in  1849  by  Archbishop  Kenrick  of  St. 
Louis.  He  was  a  subject  of  the 
Bishop  of  Chicago,  in  whose  diocese 
he  spent  almost  his  entire  priestly 
life.  Whilst  the  Illinois  Central  R. 
R.,  was  being  constructed,  Rev.  Quig- 
ley made  many  trips  along  that  line 
and  his  success  with  the  poor  fellows 
is  said  to  have  been  marvelous.  In 
1855  he  came  to  Springfield  as  pastor 
of  the  old  St.  John's  church.  He 
soon  formed  the  design  of  erecting  a 


was     buried     in     Calvary     Cemetery, 
Chicago. 

Being  a  man  of  considerable  means 
he  left  a  goodly  portion  to  relatives 
living  near  Xew  Douglas,  devoted 
larger  sums  to  charitable  purposes 
and  bequeathed  the  remainder  to 
Bishop  Foley  of  Chicago  for  diocesan 
uses.— R.  I.  P. 


QUIGLEY,  D.  D. 

new  building  and  placing  it  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion B.  V.  M.  Dr  Q'uigley  built  the 
foundation  but  did  not  remain  to  com- 
plete the  work.  When  leaving  he  was 
replaced  by  Father  P.  McElherne, 
whilst  he  assumed  charge  of  parish 
work  in  the  northern  (Chicago  and 
Peoria)  part  of  the  state. 

Rev.  Thomas  Quigley  was  known 
in  literary  circles  as  a  writer  of  some 
note.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   LONGINUS   QUITTER. 


"Justum   deduxit   Dominus   per  vias  rectas". 

For  many  years,  from  1866-1891,  a 
quarter  century,  this  humble  priest  of 
God  exercised  his  sacerdotal  func- 
tions with  promptness  and  alacrity, 
retiring  from  active  service  only 
which  compelled  by  bodily  infirmities, 
leaving  an  honorable  record  wherever 
the  call  of  duty  had  summoned  him. 

Rev.  Longinus  Quitter  was  born 
Fe'bruary  26,  1830,  at  Daseburg,  West- 
falia,  studied  classics  at  Rietberg  and 
Warendorf,  philosophy  at  Muenster. 
He  came  to  this  country  in  1863,  en- 
tered the  Seminary  of  St.  Joseph's 
College  Teutopolis  and  was  elevated 
to  the  priesthood  vy  Bishop  Juncker 
at  Alton. 


Aug.  8,  1865.  His  first  assignment 
was  to  St.  Marie,  Jasper  county,  as 
assistant  from  1856-67;  then  'became 
rector  of  Mt.  Carmel,  1867-1872,  of 
Westwood  1872-1874,  of  Paderborn 
1874-1876,  at  Aviston,  an  assistant  at 
Quincy  1876-1878,  rector  of  Vandalia 
1878-1882  (during  which  incumbency 
he  built  St.  Lawrence  church  of 
Greenville  in  1878)  Madonnaville, 
1882-1886,  of  Lively  Grove  in  1886,  till 
his  retirement  on  account  of  pro- 
tracted illness  to  St.  Mary's  hospital, 
East  St.  Louis,  a  short  time  previous 
to  his  death,  December  5,  1891.  He 
lies  buried  at  Lively  Grove.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Ten 


REV.  J.  B.  RAHO,  C.  M. 


"And   thou   shall   stand  where 
Winged  Archangels  worship, 
And  trembling  bow  before  thee". 

The  Lazarist  Fathers  of  Cape 
Girardeau,  Mo.,  were  among  the  first 
priests  who  performed  heroic,  lasting 
missionary  work  in  Illinois.  These 
veterans  in  the  field  were  inured  and 
hardened  to  fatigue  and  privations, 
they  all  had  graduated  from  the 
school  of  experience,  they  were  rug- 
ged men  of  deep  learning  and  saint- 
ly lives.  Wherever  these  sons  of  St. 
Vincent  of  Paul  put  forth  their  lofty 
aims  and  tireless  labors  forgetful  of 
self,  they  changed  dreary  prairie  spots 
into  fragrant  flower  gardens,  built 
churches,  schools  and  charitable  in- 
stitutions in  communities  which' 
seemed  not  only  barren  and  hopeless 
of  higher  spiritual  life  and  ideal,  nay 
proved  even  inimical  to  any  attempt 
to  plant  God's  blessed  church  in  their 
midst.  Wonderful  has  been  the  suc- 
cess of  these  Mission  priests  whose 
eminent  qualifications  as  Missionaries 
achieved  such  marvellous  results 
wherever  the  voice  of  obedience 
called  them.  Some  of  their  achieve- 
ments in  Illinois  form  bright  pages 
in  the  annals  of  the  Order.  What's 
now  a  large  part  of  the  Alton  diocese, 
was  an  outmission  of  the  C.  M. 
Fathers  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
thirties.  The  facile  and  gifted  pen  of 
Father  Thomas  Shaw,  C.  M.,  has 
saved  the  doings  and  operations  of 
these  Missionary  priests  on  the  prair- 
ies of  Illinois  from  falling  into  ob- 
livion, he  has  given  us  the  "Story  of 
the  La  Salle  Mission,"  by  which  the 
learned  Father  has  earned  the  lasting 
gratitude  of  every  lover  and  student 
of  the  history  of  the  Catholic  Church 
in  Illinois. 

Among  the  priests  who  traversed 
the  broad  acres  of  Illinois  late  in  the 
thirties  and  early  in  the  forties,  his 
splendid  narrative  cites  men  for 
whom  the  clergy  and  people  of  the 
Alton  diocese  have  more  than  pass- 
ing interest,  because  of  their  mission- 
ary activity  and  ministrations  in  cities 
and  towns  now  incorporated  in  our 
own  diocese.  Fathers  J.  B.  Raho, 


Parodi  and  Orlando,  and  others,  all 
members  of  the  order  of  St.  Vincent 
of  Paul,  or  C.  M.'s  as  they  are  called 
for  brevity's  sake.  The  most  con- 
spicuous of  these  Mission  Fathers 
portrayed  on  the  pages  of  the  "Story 
of  the  La  Salle  Mission"  was  unques- 
tionably Father  J.  B.  Raho,  the 
Superior. 

These  Lazarist  Fathers  (so-called 
from  their  first  Community  House 
dedicated  to  St.  Lazarus  and  given 
over  to  works  of  charity  in  Paris) 
sailing  for  first  time  the  Illinois  river 
on  their  way  from  St.  Louis  to  La 
Salle,  arrived  at  the  latter  place 
March  29,  1838.  At  once  they  entered 
upon  the  work  mapped  out  for  them 
by  Bishop  Rosati  and  Father  Timon, 
their  Superior,  with  Father  Raho  as 
their  guiding  genius. 

"The  old  pioneers  of  the  Sanctu- 
ary," says  Father  Shaw,  "had  great 
provisional  gifts  and  fertile  brains, 
excellent  tact,  wonderful  qualities  of 
adaptation,  and  happy  dispositions. 
As  the  Israelites  in  the  desert  carried 
and  located  the  ark  wherever  they 
roamed,  so  the  Missioner  carried  and 
built  the  altar  wheresoever  in  the 
valley  or  on  the  prairie  he  would  pass 
the  night.  The  tail  of  a  wagon,  the 
box  of  a  buggy  or  now  the  table  of 
the  family  of  the  host  served  as  a 
stand;  the  saddle-bags  contained  all 
the  requisites  in  altar  stone,  vest- 
ments, linens,  etc.,  for  the  due  cele- 
bration of  the  divine  mysteries.  In 
the  largest  room  of  the  cabin  the 
temporary  altar  was  erected  and 
everything  for  the  holy  sacrifice  was 
in  readiness." 

Of  Father  Raho's  strenuous  exer- 
tions in  behalf  of  the  scattered  Cath- 
olic population  in  the  counties  of 
Sangamon,  Cass,  Macoupin  and  Mor- 
gan the  Superior  of  the  Lazarists, 
Father  Timon — afterwards  Bishop  of 
Buffalo — wrote  to  the  Superior  Gen- 
eral Xozo,  at  Paris: 

"I  received  a  letter  from  Msgr.  Ro-^ 
sati,  who  missioned  one  of  the  Fathers 
to  visit  another  congregation  180 
miles  from  La  Salle.  From  a  careful 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Eleven 


perusal  of  the  book  of  expenditures 
and  a  letter  which  will  be  found  in 
records,  the  people  requested  to  visit, 
were  in  Morgan  and  Cass  counties, 
covering  an  area  of  60  miles,  and 
embracing  the  towns  of  Beardstown, 
Meredosia,  Virginia  and  the  capital 
of  the  State  of  Illinois,  Springfield. 
The  Northern  Cross  railroad  was 
then  in  course  of  building  and  there, 
too,  were  gathered  a  congregation  of 
the  children  of  the  Faith.  In  the 
opening  of  June,  the  indefatigable 
Missionary  takes  the  St.  Louis  boat, 
and  arrives  after  a  day's  sail  at 
Beardstown  on  the  Illinois  river.  He 
will  describe  the  town  in  which  as  in 
a  mirror  he  closely  denned  the  zeal 
and  resignation  so  worthy  a  son  of 
St.  Vincent  de  Paul: 

"I  discovered  about  200  Catholics 
scattered  over  60  miles.  For  the 
space  of  a  month  I  exercised  among 
them  the  holy  ministry,  almost  al- 
ways traveled  on  foot,  carrying  on  my 
shoulders  saddle-bags  containing 
altar  necessaries,  and  in  my  hand  a 
carpet-bag,  in  open  air  and  into  the 
night  hearing  Confessions,  in  the  day 
time  occupied  teaching  the  children 
the  catechism. 

I  was  amazed  at  the  work  of  grace 
and  at  the  eagerness  with  which 
these  poor  people  rushed  to  hear  the 
instructions  I  gave,  flinging  aside  for 
this  purpose  hours  of  sleep  and 
nourishment." 

Father  Raho,  Superior  of  the  La 
Salle  Mission,  on  his  return  home 
writes  of  his  labors  in  Southern  Illi- 


La   Salle.   La   Salle   Co.,    111. 
June  21,  1838. 

Dear  Sir:  On  last  Saturday  I  ar- 
rived here.  My  health  is  at  present 
tolerably  well.  The  success  of  my 
mission  eight  miles  from  Beardstown 
has  been,  that  a  small  church  is  to 
be  built  there,  and  five  children  were 
baptized,  of  whom  one  was  of  Catho- 
lic parents,  two  of  parents  one  Cath- 
.olic  and  the  other  Protestant,  and 
the  other  of  Protestant  parents. 
That  church  is  located  in  the  town 
of  Virginia,  ten  miles  from  Beards- 


town,  on  the  road  to  Springfield,  and 
chief  town  or  county  seat  of  the  new 
county  of  Cass,  being  the  county  oi 
Morgan  divided  into  two,  Morgan 
and  Cass.  I  have  no  time  to  write 
longer.  I  shall  do  so  another  time. 

Your  most  obedient  servant  in 
Domino. 

J.  B.  Raho,  P.  of  Cong,  of  Missions. 
Rev.  Father  Raho  and  his  valiant 
band  of  Missionary  confreres,  who 
worked  so  well  in  parts  of  our  pres- 
ent diocese —  and  the  heroic  Jesuit 
Father  Quickenborne,  of  St.  Louis, 
who  ministered  to  the  Catholics  of 
Beardstown  as  early  as  1833 — enjoy 
the  compensation  which  God  has 
promised  to  the  workers  in  his  em- 
ploy. 

For  information  as  to  the  subse- 
quent career  and  life  of  Father  Raho 
we  are  indebted  to  the  pains-taking 
researches  of  the  Very  Rev.  Theodore 
Arentz,  ex-provincial  O.  F.  M.,  of 
Santa  Barbara,  California.  It  runs 
thuswise:  With  the  creation  of  the 
Diocese  of  Chicago,  the  larger  num- 
ber of  Lazarist  Fathers  who  were 
connected  with  the  La  Salle  Mission 
were  withdrawn  from  Illinois.  Rev. 
Raho  was  one  of  these.  Being  re- 
called by  his  Superior  he  was  made 
President  of  the  St.  Louis  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  replacing  the  Rev. 
Thaddeus  Amat,  C.  M.,  who  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  headship  of  St.  Mary's 
Seminary  (Barrens)  in  Perry  county. 
Mo.  Father  Raho  remained  Superior 
of  the  Seminary  till  1847,  when  he 
was  ordered  to  New  Orleans  to  as- 
sume a  professorship  in  the  St.  Vin- 
cent of  Paul  Seminary.  With  the 
exception  of  two  years,  from  1848-'5i 
when  he  acted  as  Cathedral  pastor  at 
Natchez,  our  learned  and  talented 
professor  retained  his  position  in  New 
Orleans  till  1855.  At  this  time,  Nov. 
23,  1855,  his  friend  and  confrere,  Rev. 
Thaddeus  Amat,  who  on  March  12, 
1854  had  been  consecrated  at  Rome 
as  Bishop  of  Monterey,  persuaded  our 
subject  to  accompary  him  to  sunny 
California.  Father  Raho  accepted 
and  forever  proved  himself  most  valu- 
able and  loyal  to  his  episcopal  friend 
and  superior.  It  happened  that  whilst 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Twelv 


making  a  visitation  of  the  diocese. 
Bishop  Amat  came  to  the  "Old  Mis- 
sion" of  Santa  Barbara.  He  was  so 
favorably  impressed  wi*h  the  town 
and  surroundings  that  temporarily,  at 
least,  Santa  Barbara  becarre.  the 
Bishop's  residential  city.  Thr  Fran- 
ciscan Fathers  weic  in  charge  of  the 
cny  parish.  He  induced  them  to  ex- 
change their  'foldings  for  die  "Old 
Mission"  place.  It  was  no  sooner 
said  than,  done.  This  was  in  1856 
Father  Raho  was  appointed  pastor 
of  the  city  parish  of  Santa  Barbara, 
which  pastorate  he  retained  till  the 


summer  of  1857,  when  the  Bishop 
sent  him  in  similar  capacity  to  the 
"Plaza  Church"  of  Los  Angeles. 

In  1858  Father  Raho  became  the 
Vicar  General  of  the  diocese.  After 
three  more  years  of  strenuous  life 
our  former  active  and  pious  Illinois 
pioneer  priest  answered  the  final 
summons.  He  died  a  well  prepared, 
edifying  death  at  Los  Angeles,  Dec. 
11,  1862. 

The  diocese  of  Chicago,  Alton  and 
Peoria  should  forever  keep  the  mem- 
ory of  this  good  man  in  grateful, 
sacred  benediction.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  A.  RATTE. 


"Then   lead  him   through   this  desert 
Back   to  Thy  Holy  Land". 

He  was  an  assistant  at  St.  Boni- 
face, Quincy,  under  its  pastor,  Father 
John  Reis  in  1857-'58,  and  acted  as 
pastor  of  the  parish  a  few  months  till 


the  coming  of  Father  Shaefermeyer. 
Rev.  A.  Ratte  thereupon  went  to 
Cincinnati,  and  later  returned  to  his 
native  country,  Germany.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  a  fine  pulpit  speaker. 


REV.    CHARLES   RAPHAEL. 


"Hush!   was  that  some  one  passing, 
Who  paused  before  the  door?"' 

Our  subject  was  a  native  of  Luxem- 
burg, born  at  La  Rochette,  Nov.  3, 
1826,  came  to  America  in  1853  and 
was  ordained  to  the  priesthood — very 
likely  at  the  Seminary  of  Our  Lady 
of  the  Lake,  by  Bishop  Oliver  Van 
de  Velde— on  June  10,  1854.  After 
his  ordination  Father  Raphael  was  at 
once  assigned  to  the  parish  of  Teu- 
topolis,  where  he  stayed  from  July, 
1854-Xov.  1856,  becoming  a  success- 
or to  Rev.  Joseph  F.  Zoegel.  His  next 
appointments  were  those  of  Millstadt 
and  Mascoutah.  In  1859  he  succeeded 
the  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  parish  of 
Brussels,  Rev.  John  Regal.  Father 


Raphael  commenced  the  erection  of 
a  commodiou.s  two-story  residence 
for  the  rector;  it  was  completed  in 
1862.  He  occupied  it.  The  following 
year  the  present  church  was  com- 
menced and  rendered  ready  for  divine 
service.  Father  Raphael  was,  how- 
ever, too  soon  removed  to  accomplish 
all  his  designs.  Whilst  he  was  pastor 
of  Brussels  he  succeeded  in  building 
the  first  log  church  six  miles  above 
Hardin,  now  called  Michael.  Later 
on,  in  1866  he  was  in  charge  of  Sum- 
mit Springs,  Butler  county,  Pa.,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  oc- 
cured  in  1900,  he  was  a  chaplain  in  the 
Convent  of  the  Good  Shepherd  in 
Milwaukee. 


I 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirteen 


REV.    FRANCIS    N.    RECOUVREUR. 


"No  grief,   though   loud   and  deep 
Could1  stir  that  sleep". 

Sad  and  tragic  was  the  ending  of  a 
very  industrious  and  useful  life  of  one 
of  the  diocese's  most  venerable  priests, 
that  of  Rev.  Francis  N.  Recouvreur. 
Deceased  had  attained  the  age  of  75 
years.  He  had  retired  from  active 
service  and  intended  to  spend  the  re- 


mainder of  his  declining  days  in  well 
merited  rest  and  repose  with  a  niece 
in  Kirkwood,  Mo.  To  this  end  he  re- 
linquished the  parish  of  New  Douglas 
and  moved  into  his  prepared  quarters 
near  St.  Louis.  It  was  the  custom  of 
deceased  to  retire  every  evening  at 
7  o'clock.  It  was  on  a  Saturday 
night,  October  24,  1908,  that  his  rela- 
tive was  awakened  by  the  smell  of 
gas.  She  investigated  and  discovered 
that  the  fumes  came  from  her  uncle's 
rooms.  A  new  gas  stove  had  recent- 
ly been  placed  in  his  room.  It  is 
supposed  that  the  aged  priest  went  to 
sleep  in  his  arm-chair  which  stood 
in  front  of  the  gas  stove  and  thus  be- 
came asphyxiated. 

The  funeral  took  place  from  St. 
Malachy's  church,  St.  Louis,  and  was 
attended  by  many  of  the  clergy  who 
had  come  to  pay  their  last  tribute  of 
respect  and  pray  for  the  soul  of  their 
esteemed  venerable  confrere. 


Solemn  High  Mlass  was  celebrated 
by  Rev.  F.  X.  Zabell,  D.  D.,  a  coun- 
tryman and  former  fellow  student  of 
deceased,  with  Rev.  C.  L.  Souvay,  C. 
M.,  as  deacon  and  Rev.  Wm  Michael 
of  Pieron,  as  sub-deacon,  whilst  V. 
Rev.  E.  Spalding  of  Alton,  delivered 
the  funeral  sermon  touching  on  the 
long  and  useful  career  of  the  de- 
parted and  his  many  noble  traits  of 
character. 

Father  Recouvreur  was  known  as  a 
great  organizer  and  church  builder. 
Almost  in  every  parish  over  which  he 
presided  during  his  long  priestly  life 
he  left  some  memento  of  his  zeal  and 
labor.  In  the  dioceses  of  Alton  and 
Peoria  this  good  man's  name  will  re- 
main a  benediction.  In  looKing  over 
the  long  record  of  his  accomplish- 
ments we  find  him  to  have  'been  ac- 
tive at  Assumption  in  1865,  Pittsfield 
where  he  erected  a  church  and  frame 
rectory  in  1867  and  opened  a  school 
in  1870,  Edwardsville,  1872,  from 
which  place  he  attended  Taylorville, 
where  he  built  a  substantial  parson- 
age and  bought  some  choice  lots  for 
a  new  church,  Carrollton,  1873-77, 
where  he  built  a  schoolhouse.  After 
this  he  displayed  his  activities  in  the 
Peoria  diocese,  at  Clinton,  1S79-'80, 
Campus,  1881 -'82,  Dwight,  1882-'85, 
Delavan,  1887,  and  L'Erable,  1887-'90. 
At  this  juncture  Father  Recouvreur 
returned  to  the  Alton  diocese  and  was 
assigned  to  St.  Ubaldus  parish  of  New 
Douglas,  where  at  once  he  com- 
menced to  erect  a  parish  house  in 
which  he  lived  nine  years  from  1890- 
'99,  the  time  of  his  retirement  to 
Kirkwood,  Mo. 

Father  Francis  Nicholas  Recouv- 
reur was  a  native  of  La  Belle  France, 
born  in  the  Diocese  of  Nancy,  Jan- 
uary 23,  1833,  was  raised  to  the  priest- 
hood by  Bishop  Juncker  in  the  Alton 
Cathedral,  August  4,  1859,  and  died 
as  stated,  Oct.  24,  1908. 

May  God  rest  and  crown  the  soul 
of  this  persistent  worker  in  his  vin- 
yard. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Fourtett 


REV.   JOHN   REGAL. 


"    God    knows    I    did    it    for   the    best". 

The  second  resident  pastor  of 
Brussels.  He  was  .a  native  of  Nancy, 
France,  and  governed  the  parish  of 


Brussels  from  1853-1859.  He  was  the 
rirst  priest  to  conduct  divine  services 
in  private  houses  above  Hardin.  R. 
I.  P. 


REV.   FRANCIS  REINHARDT. 


Rev.  Francis  Reinhardt,  the  organ- 
izer of  St.  Mary's  Parish  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  construction  of  the  first 
St.  Mary's  church  building  of  Quincy, 
was  at  the  time  of  his  assignment  to 
the.  cause  of  the  newly  formed  con- 
gregation an  assistant  priest  to  the 


Rev.  Herman  Schaefermeyer,  then 
pastor  of  St.  Boniface  parish.  In  like 
capacity  he  acted  1876-1877,  under 
Rev.  Francis  Ostrop,  who,  after  Rev. 
Schaefermeyer  had  donned  the  Fran- 
ciscan habit  in  1872  (to  be  known 
from  thenceforth  as  P.  laborious)  suc- 
ceeded to  the  pastorate  of  St.  Boni- 
face. It  was  Father  Reinhardt  who 
suggested  name  and  title  of  the  newly 
planned  parish.  Commissioned  by  the 
Bishop  to  promote  and  further  the 
initial  interests  of  St.  Mary's  congre- 
gation, this  good  man  at  once  put 
forth  his  best  endeavors  to  accom- 
plish what  seemed  to  many  an  almost 
impossible  task,  hopeless  of  tiltimate 
success.  And  how  he  worked  and 


labored  day  after  day  and  week  after 
week  incessantly  and  cheerfully  for 
and  with  the  Catholic  people  of  the 
South  Side,  of  all  this  we  read  on  the 
pages  of  Father  Bruener's  meritorious 
and  exhaustive  work  entitled  ''Kir- 
chengeschichte  Quincy's"  p.  285. 

Suffice  it  to  say  that  Rev.  Rein- 
hardt had  the  happiness  to  see  his 
persistent  endeavors  crowned  with 
unqualified  success  and  that  the 
united  efforts  of  promising  St.  Mary's 
had  succeeded  to  erect  a  most  beau- 
tiful Gothic  edifice  was  formally  de- 
dicated to  its  lofty  end  and  purpose 
on  December  8,  1867.  A  sore  disap- 
pointment, however,  was  in  store  for 
our  indefatigable  worker,  a  disappoint- 
ment over  which  he  justly  grieved 
very  much  and  which  grief  was  uni- 
versally shared  by  all  parishioners  of 
St.  Mary's,  viz:  that  after  accom- 
plishing this  great  task  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  thousands  of  personal  con- 
veniences not  he  but  someone  else 
should  'be  assigned  as  pastor  to  the 
new  parish.  This  disappointment  was 
seemingly  a  hard  and  cruel  one,  but 
Father  Reinhardt  knew  how  to  bear 
it  humbly  and  submissively.  He  re- 
turned to  the  labors  of  an  assistant 
priest  of  St.  Boniface  until  shortly 
after  the  voice  of  his  superior  called 
him  to  another  field  of  labor. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical 
sketch  was  born  April  20,  1834  at 
Fulda  in  Hessia.  a  place  forever  hal- 
lowed by  the  life  and  death  of  Ger- 
many's great  apostle,  St.  Boniface. 
Ordained  to  the  priesthood  on  St. 
Joseph's  day,  March  19,  1859  by  the 
Bishop  of  that  city  and  diocese,  our 
young  levite  exercised  his  priestly 
functions  in  his  native  land  until  the 
year  1864,  when,  encouraged  by  the 
example  of  so  many  zealous  mission- 
aries and  the  appeal  for  priests  by 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Fifteen 


our  American  Bishops,  young  Father 
Reinhardt  determined  to  devote  the 
remainder  of  his  life  to  the  American 
missions.  Invited  by  Bishop  Damian 
Juncker,  he  came  to  the  Alton  Diocese 
where  the  sturdy,  rugged  young  man 
son  found  abundant  opportunities  for 
the  display  of  his  zeal  and  talents. 
Thus  it  is  that  our  subject  was  suc- 
cessively appointed  to  positions  at 
Quincy  with  Revs.  H.  Schaefermeyer 
and  Francis  Ostrop,  to  Breese,  as  as- 
sistant to  Rev.  Reineke,  to  Highland 
with  Rev.  Jos.  M  e  c  k  e  1,  to  West 
Woods,  Taylorville  and  the  chaplain- 
cy at  St.  John's  Hospital  of  Spring- 
field, where  at  that  time  the  energetic 
Superioress,  Ven.  Sr.  Ulrica,  O.  S.  F., 
was  erecting  the  fine  chapel  building. 
Here  I  had  the  good  fortune  of  meet- 
ing the  quondam  organizer  of  our  St. 
Mary's  congregaton.  On  conversing 
with  him  on  a  numlber  of  topics  and 


various  timely  subjects  1  found  him 
a  man  of  erudition  and  mature  judg- 
ment— though  oftentimes  of  rather 
straightforward  and  blunt  expression, 
one  who  was  very  unassuming  and 
modest  in  appearance,  an  humble  and 
unselfish  priest  of  God  and  sympa- 
thetic friend  of  man. 

It  seems  that  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  eighties  his  health  became  seri- 
ously impaired;  to  seek  relief  for  a 
shattered  and  broken  down  constitu- 
tion, Father  Reinhardt  obtained  per- 
mission from  his  Ordinary  to  return 
to  his  native  country,  to  beautiful 
Hessia,  where  after  some  few  years 
of  lingering  sickness,  he  expired  on 
August  25,  1892,  at  the  village  of 
Lettgenbrunn  near  the  city  of  Fulda. 
There  he  has  found  his  last  resting 
place.  May  this  good  man,  to  whose 
untiring  efforts  Quincy  owes  so  much, 
forever  rest  in  God's  holy  peace! 


REV.  JOHN  REIS. 


"Per  aspera   ad  astra". 

When  Rev.  Father  Kuenster,  pas- 
tor of  St.  Boniface,  Quincy,  had  died, 
Sept.  15,  1857,  Bishop  Juncker  as- 
signed a  successor  in  the  person  of 
Father  J.  Reis.  This  priest  had  come 
from  Missouri,  where  at  Merrimac, 
St.  Louis  county,  he  had  acted  as  pas- 
tor of  St.  Mary's  parish.  He  was  frail 
and  sickly;  foreseeing  the  work  which 
awaited  him  at  Quincy,  the  appointee 


refused  to  accept  the  proffered  posi- 
tion, but  finally  yielded  to  his  superi- 
ors insistence.  However,  Father  Reis 
was  compelled  the  next  August  to 
resign  the  pastorate  of  St.  Boniface, 
as  his  impaired  health  threatened  to 
break  down  under  the  weight  of 
manifold  daily  duties.  He  retired 
from  active  pastoral  life  and  died  a 
few  years  afterward. 


REV.   J.   W.   REPIS. 


The  first  resident  pastor  of  SS. 
Peter  and  Paul's  congregation  01 
Collinsville,  was  Rev.  W.  J.  Repis. 
He  was  a  Bohemian  by  birth  and  was 
sent  to  this  parish  in  1857.  During  his 
stay  he  performed  excellent  work  till 


the  fall  of  1858.  At  this  time  he  re- 
solved to  go  South  to  Tennessee, 
and  was  admitted  into  the  diocese 
of  Nashville,  where  in  that  city  he 
was  given  charge  of  St.  Mary's  parish. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Sixteen 


REV.  P.  MICHAEL  RICHARD,  0.  F.  M. 


"Creative  Lord  Incarnate,   let  me   lean 
Myself  on  Thee; 

Xor  let  my  utter  weakness  come  between 
Thy   strength   and  me." 

— B.  H.  Benson. 

The  Franciscan  Order  sustained  a 
severe  loss  when  on  June  8,  1916  the 
Very  Rev.  P.  Michael  Richard,  O.  F. 
M.  died.  A  man  of  extraordinary 


mental  endowment  and  great  moral 
force  had  passed  away.  A  brilliant 
pulpit  orator,  deep  theologian,  an 
ideal  retreat  master,  and  above  all  a 
sincere  pious  and  unaffected  follower 
of  St.  Francis,  is  mourned  not  only 
by  the  regular  but  likewise  by  the 
secular  clergy  of  this  and  many  other 
dioceses.  Wherever  Father  Michael 
was  known,  there  he  was  honored,  re- 
spected and  loved.  The  impressions 
he  created  are  to  be  lasting.  The 


Alton  Diocese  is  particularly  affected 
by  his  demise,  for  it  was  at  Teutopolis 
and  Quincy  that  for  many  years  he 
was  successfully  active  not  only  as 
College  Rector  and  Convent  Guardian 
but  likewise  pastor  of  various  parishes 
such  as  Antonius,  St.  Joseph  and  Al- 
tamont. 

Father  Michael's  personality  was 
one  of  striking  physique  and  com- 
manding appearance.  Mis  strong- 
voice  in  pulpit  discourses  and  ser- 
mons was  audible  for  blocks  and — as 
a  Franciscan  said — he  caused  the  pul- 
pit to  shake  and  tremble.  As  mission- 
ary and  retreat  master  Father  Michael 
was  known  from  New  York  to  San 
Francisco.  Twice  his  brothers  voted 
him  a  Provincial  of  their  Order  1891- 
'97.  In  1895  he  became  a  delegate  to 
the  ''Congregatio  Intermedia"  which 
on  Pentecost  Sunday  of  that  year  as- 
sembled at  Assisi,  Italy;  the  birth- 
place of  their  holy  founder,  St.  Fran- 
cis. 

When  the  health  of  the  good  aged 
Father  began  to  fail,  he  was  retired 
to  the  Convent  of  Santa  Barbara  in 
sunny  California,  where  on  above 
mentioned  date  he  calmly  and  peace- 
fully expired  at  the  age  of  72  years. 

Father  Michael  was  born  Sept.  25, 
1844  at  Effelder  near  Muehlhausen  in 
the  Province  of  Saxony,  studied  at 
Heiligenstadt  and  entered  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order  at  Warendorf  in  1861. 
Having  completed  the  theological 
studies,  his  superiors  sent  him  to  their 
American  Missions  in  1867.  The 
following  year,  Dec.  4,  1868  our 
young  Franciscan  Friar  received  Holy 
Orders  from  Archbishop  Kenrick  in 
St.  John's  Church,  St.  Louis. 

May  this  true,  intrepid  and  loyal 
champion  of  God's  Holy  Church  rest 
in  peace. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Seventeen 


REV.   A.   B.  RINKES. 


"Grant    him    rest    where    never    sorrow 
Enters   more,    nor  pain   nor  foe ; 
Grant   him   light    that   neither   morrow, 
Night,    nor   yesterday   shall   know; 
Joy  that  ever  shall  increase, 
Light   perpetual,   rest  in  peace'". 

Among  the  teaching  staff  of  pro- 
fessors of  the  former  College  of  Ruma 
we  find  the  name  of  Rev.  A.  B. 
Rinkes  enumerated.  Before  he  took 
up  college  work  he  had  been  actively 
engaged  in  parish  work  at  various 
places  in  the  diocese.  In  scanning 
over  the  different  congregations,  we 
meet  him  as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's 
parish  of  Pittsfield  from  1861-'62.  It 
was  he  who  shortly  after  coming  to 
that  place  laid  the  foundation  to  the 
present  solid  brick  structure  in  1862 
which  was  however,  not  completed 
till  1864  when  on  Christmas  morning 
the  first  Holy  Mass  was  celebrated 
in  it.  The  next  two  years  from  1862- 
'64  we  find  our  subject  installed  as 
pastor  of  Mt.  Sterling,  from  which 
place  he  was  transferred  to  Bunker 
Hill  when  he  built  the  church  of  the 


"Annunciation  B.  V.  M.  His  stay 
here  lasted  also  but  two  years.  From 
1865-'66  he  served  Marshall.  From 
Marshall  it  seems  that  Father  Rinkes 
was  called  to  the  newly  created  Ger- 
man parish  of  East  St.  Lo'uis  which 
at  the  time  became  a  factor  inde- 
pendent of  St.  Patrick's.  He  was  still 
young  and  energetic.  Twenty-five 
adults  represented  the  full  parish. 
Father  Rinkes  assembled  the  children 
for  daily  instructions  and  thus  soon 
established  the  first  parish  school. 
Next  he  purchased  ^  building  site, 
and  the  erection  of  a  two-story  frame 
building  was  'begun  in  which  the 
school  occupied  the  first  and  the 
church  the  second  floor.  The  young 
parish  was  placed  under  the  protec- 
tion of  St.  Henry.  At  this  time  Father 
Rinkes  took  sick.  He  left  East  St. 
Louis  March  9,  1867  and  went  to 
Ruma  to  accept  a  position  as  college 
professor.  He  died  a  priest  of  the 
Green  Bay  diocese.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   PROF.    ANTHONY   ROETTGER. 


In  Te  Domine  Speravi, 

Non  Confundarin  Aeternum. 

It  is  but  meet  and  just  that  deserved 


tribute  be  paid  to  the  moral  intellec- 


tual and  spiritual  excellence  and 
power  of  a  good  man,  and  that  his 
name  be  perpetuated  and  his  memory 
be  preserved  from  oblivion  and  de- 
cay. The  honorable  record  of  our 
subject's  priestly  life,  the  accomplish- 
ments as  teacher  in  the  class-rooms, 
the  loveafole  disposition  toward  his 
fellow-confreres,  all  unite  in  demand- 
ing that  mention  be  made  of  Father 
A.  Roettger. 

Whilst  professor  at  the  College  of 
Ruma  and  again  at  the  Salesianum 
near  Milwaukee  where  he  occupied  the 
chair  of  philosophy  he  had  shown  his 
great  capacity  for  the  excellent  per- 
formance  of  vocational  duty  and 
loyal  devotion  to  the  interests  of 
these  institutions.  They  were  worthy 
of  the  highest  encomium.  The  kind- 
ly nature  of  the  man,  the  strength  of 
character  which  distinguished^  him, 
and  his  agreeable  ways  won  for  him 
a  multitude  of  friends  and  admirers, 
especially  among  the  student  body. 
He  passed  away  at  a  time — whilst  on 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Eighteen 


a  visit  at  the  rectory  of  Highland — 
when  the  powers  of  his  mind  were 
attaining  their  greatest  strength,  and 
the  largest  opportunities  were  offered 
him  for  their  exercise. 

His  reputation  was  that  of  genero'iis 
faithful  and  conscientious  priest,  less 
qualified,  however  for  parochial  work 
than  for  a  professorial  chair.  The 
pale  messenger  approached  Father 
Roettger  under  the  guise  of  a  sun- 
stroke, within  48  hours  he  was  a 
corpse. 

Particulars  of  his  death  and  funeral 
may  be  culled  from  the  entry  made  in 
the  church  records  of  the  Highland 
parish  by  his  friend  Rev.  Jos.  Meckel 
the  pastor.  It  reads  as  follows, 

"Die  15  m.  Julii  1878  sepultus  est 
Reverendus  Antonius  Roettger,  Pro- 
fessor Philosophiae  in  Seminario  Sti. 
Francisci  Salesii,  prope  Milwaukee, 
qui  recreationis  causa  hue  venerat  die 
12  h.  m;  bona,  ut  apparebit,  vale- 
tudine  gaudens.  Die  13  Missa  in  hon. 
B.  V.  M.  celebrata,  horis  p.  m.  de 
aegritudine  qua  laboraret  conquereba- 
tur;  cuius  periculosa  conditio  die  se- 
quenti,  Dominica  V.  p.  Pent  hora  8 
p.  m.  apparuit,  qua  hora  in  Domino 
obiit,  Sacramento  Extremae  Unctionis 
recepto.  Die  15  hora  5  p.  m.  sepultus 
est  optimus  meus  amicus,  cuius  mem- 
oria  cordi  meo  impressa  remanebit. 
Reverendus  Dom.  W.  Cluse  lugubri 
sermone  dolorem  patefecit,  quern 
morte  amici  sui  concipiebat.  Officium 
defunctorum  peregerunt  Revdi. 


Domini  G.  Cluse,  Wm.  Neu.  Fr. 
Reinhart,  Th.  Kamann,  H-uckestein 
and  H.  Eggenstein." 

Rt.  Rev.  Mgr  W.  Cluse  of  Okaw- 
ville  who  calls  the  deceased  "a  noble 
priest,  a  noble  scholar  and  a  noble  de- 
voted friend"  thus  outlined  the  life 
and  activity  of  our  subject: 

Rev.  Anthony  Roettger  was  born  at 
Velen,  Westfalia  in  1850,  made  his 
classical  studies  at  Cosfeld,  studied 
philosophy  and  theology  at  the  uni- 
versity of  Muenster  and  at  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  After  having  been  or- 
dained a  priest  in  1874  at  Alton  he 
was  appointed  a  professor  of  philoso- 
phy at  the  Sacred  Heart  College  of 
Ruma,  111.,  where  he  taught  for  two 
years  during  which  time  he  also  acted 
as  rector  of  St.  Boniface  parish  of 
Edwardsville,  111.  From  1876-78  he 
taught  philosophy  at  the  theological 
Seminary  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales 
near  Milwaukee,  Wise.  Father  Roett- 
ger was  admired  for  his  proficiency 
in  scholastic  philosophy  and  theolo- 
gy, -unusual  for  so  young  a  priest. 
His  piety,  zeal,  and  cheerful  character 
endeared  him  to  his  fellow-pro- 
fessors, priests,  students  and  ac- 
quaintances. Great  was  their  grief 
when  the  telegraph  flashed  the  news 
that  he  had  died  July  18,  1878,  after 
but  one  days  illness  at  the  residence 
of  his  clerical  friend  at  Highland 
where  he  intended  to  spend  a  part  of 
his  summer  vacation.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.    BERNARD   ROSSMOELLER. 


Born  at  Muenster,  in  Westfalia,  he 
was  raised  to  the  priesthood  in  the 
venerable  Cathedral  of  his  native  city 
in  1868.  Coming  to  this  country  soon 
after  the  young  priest  was  assigned 
to  Rev.  H.  Schaefermeyer  of  Qoiincy, 
Oct.  5,  1868-Jan.  22,  '69.  In  1874  he 
was  appointed  to  Fayetteville,  a  year 


later  to  Lebanon,  in  1876  to  Marine, 
from  1878-1884  to  Grafton  and  from 
Oct.  1884-Aug.  '87,  to  Smithon.  At 
this  time  Father  Rossmoeller  peti- 
tioned the  Bishop  for  permission  to 
return  to  his  native  country.  There 
he  died  April  10,  1891. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Nineteen 


REV.   ANTHONY  RUSTIGE. 


"Who    in    the    Savior's    footsteps    tread 
Up  to  the  world  above  are  led.  ' 

St.  Mary's  parish  of  Edwardsville 
had  continued  from  1844-1869  the  one 
and  only  parish  of  that  place.  Trans- 
ient as  well  as  permanent  pastors 
had  looked  after  the  congregation's 
interests.  The  English  and  German 
speaking  Catholics  had  so  far  wor- 
shipped at  the  same  altar  and  jointly 
borne  the  expenses  of  the  erection 
and  maintenance  of  church,  school 
and  parochial  residence  of  St.  Mary's. 
The  teutonic  forces  of  the  parish 
growing  stronger  and  more  numerous 
however,  the  partition  of  the  parish 
together  with  the  building  of  a  new 
church  for  a  separate  German  congre- 
gation seemed  'both  feasible  and  desir- 
able. This  plan,  already  inaugurated 
in  1867  under  Rev.  Father  Kuchen- 
buch,  the  pastor  of  St.  Mary's,  was 
consummated  under  Rev.  Anthony 
Rustige  in  1869.  He  is  looked  upon 
as  the  actual  organizer  and  founder 
of  St.  Boniface  parish. 

Who  was  Father  Rustige  and 
whence  did  he  come?  At  the  time 
when  starting  the  new  parish,  he  was 
a  young  man  of  about  28  years  of 
age.  His  native  country  was  West- 
falia,  where  he  was  born  near  the  city 
of  Paderborn  in  1841.  In  the  latter 
city  he  completed  his  classical  studies 
prepared  himself  at  the  American 


College  of  Muenster  for  the  priest- 
hood and  was  ordained  at  Teutopolis 
by  Bishop  Juncker  for  the  Alton  dio- 
cese in  1866.  By  his  Ordinary  he 
was  assigned  as  assistant  to  St. 
Patrick's  of  East  St.  Louis,  and  as 
such  had  charge  of  the  congregations 
of  Collinsville  and  Lebanon  from 
1866-'6S.  In  the  latter  part  of  Dec- 
ember, 1868,  he  succeeded  the  Rev. 
William  Kuchenbuch  as  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's  of  Edwardsville.  When  St. 
Boniface  parish  of  that  city  was 
started  he  relinquished  his  prior 
charge,  handing  it  over  to  the  Rev. 
D.  Burne.  Incessantly  he  planned 
and  worked  for  the  good  of  the  new- 
parish  some  six  years,  till  his  frail 
constitution  yielded  to  undue  pressure 
and  collapsed  under  the  continued 
strain  of  mental  and  physical  exer- 
tion. His  physician  advised  the  young 
priest  to  seek  repose  and  rest  at  the 
St.  Mary's  hospital  of  St.  Louis. 
All  medical  skill  and  human  efforts, 
however,  proved  futile.  Father  Rus- 
tige had  done  his  work  at  the  ex- 
pense of  his  health.  Consumption  had 
set  in,  which  claimed  the  good  and 
zealous  worker  when  but  thirty-three 
years  old,  Sept.  8,  1874.  In  the  death 
of  Father  Anthony  Rustige  the  dio- 
cese mourned  the  loss  of  one  of  her 
most  exemplary  priests.  He  was 
buried  in  Edwardsville.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  DANIEL  J.  RYAN. 


"Thy  will,   O  God,   be  done". 

A  man  of  effable  and  sunny  disposi- 
tion, efficient  and  thorough  in  all  un- 
dertakings, popular  with  clergy  and 
laity,  such  was  Father  Daniel  Ryan 
the  lamented  late  pastor  of  St.  Mary's 
parish  of  Mt.  Sterling.  He  was  the 
son  of  William  Ryan  and  Margaret 
nee  Kough,  born  at  Kickapoo,  111., 
August  3,  1852,  and  ordained  at  the 
Alton  Cathedral  by  Bishop  Baltes, 
June  29,  1876.  His  first  appointment 
was  to  Grafton  from  October,  1876- 
'77,  whence  he  was  assigned  to  Virden 
where  he  remained  from  1877-'81.  At 
this  time  it  happened  that  Rev. 


Manasses  Kane,  founder  and  builder 
of  St.  Joseph's  church,  Springfield, 
was  induced  to  resign.  No  one  was 
thought  a  more  capable  man  to  handle 
the  entangled  affairs  of  that  parish 
than  Father  Ryan,  who  during  the 
next  fifteen  years  proved  his  un- 
questioned ability  as  a  wise  and  pru- 
dent pastor  and  capable  administra- 
tor. He  overcame  the  difficulties  in 
reducing  heavy  debt,  built  a  commo- 
dious parochial  residence  and  sup- 
plied the  church  with  a  splendid  pipe 
organ.  Father  Ryan's  heart  and  mind 
were  justly  centered  in  the  affairs  of 
his  beloved  St.  Joseph's,  which  in- 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Twenty 


creased  and  developed  under  his  un- 
flagging   care    and    devotion    steadily 


and  constantly.  In  1895  our  Spring- 
field priest  was  requested  to  exchange 
places  with  Rev.  M.  Clifford  of  St. 
Mary's  parish,  Alt.  Sterling.  Father 


Ryan  continued  his  priestly  activity 
with  the  same  eagerness  and  zeal  in 
the  new  parish  as  he  was  wont  to  do 
at  Springfield.  For  three  years  he 
successfully  directed  the  destinies  of 
the  Mt.  Sterling  charge,  when,  on 
November  23,  1899,  he  met  with  a 
serious  accident  which,  alas,  was  to 
cause  his  premature  death.  On  that 
day  the  parochial  residence  burned 
down.  In  his  efforts  to  extinguish 
the  fire  and  save  his  home,  Father 
Ryan  sustained  injuries  which  ulti- 
mately proved  to  be  fatal.  With  the 
house  he  lost  his  library  and  all  the 
church  records.  The  badly  burned 
pastor  was  rushed  to  Our  Savior's 
Hospital  at  Jacksonville,  where  the 
best  of  medical  treatment  was  given 
him.  For  awhile  our  patient  seemed 
to  'be  on  the  road  to  recovery.  But 
this  was  delusive.  He  lingered  till 
July,  1900,  when  he  had  to  yield  to  the 
inevitable. 

Father  Daniel  Ryan's  remains  were 
buried  in  the  Catholic  cemetery  of 
Jacksonville.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  MICHAEL  RYAN. 


'  'And  Heaven  awaits  thee 
And   fills   thy   spirit   with   delight". 

A  good  natured  and  always  jovial 
man  was  the  late  pastor  of  Virginia, 
Father  Michael  Ryan.  Tall  of  sta- 
ture, habitually  wearing  a  silk  hat,  he 
towered  above  his  confreres  where- 
ever  assembled.  St.  Luke's  of  Virgin- 
ia, held  out  but  precarious  emolu- 
ments to  its  pastor,  and  yet  he  seemed 
the  exemplification  of  contentment 
which  is  best  demonstrated  by  the 
sixteen  long  years  which  he  spent  in 
this  poor  mission  without  ever  in- 


sisting on  a  change  for  the  better. 
And  Father  Ryan's  memory  remains 
deeply  engraven  on  the  hearts  of  the 
grateful  parishioners  of  Virginia  to 
this  day.  Rev.  Michael  Ryan,  son  of 
Michael  Ryan  and  Mary  Finnally,  was 
placed  in  the  arms  of  his  parents  a 
Christmas  gift,  1850.  He  hailed  from 
Kil  Macow,  Ireland,  and  was  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  at  All  Hallows  on 
June  24,  1875.  From  1876-'92,  the 
year  of  his  death,  he  proved  himself 
a  persistent  and  faithful  worker  at 
Virginia.  R.  I.  P. 


Page   One  Hundred  and  Tvtcnty-One 


REV.  THOMAS  RYAN. 


"Long  ago  Time's  mighty  billows 
Swept  your  footsteps  from  the   sand". 

About  the  year  1852,  Rev.  Thomas 
Ryan  was  appointed  a  missionary 
priest  of  Central  Illinois.  His  terri- 
tory extended  nearly  all  over  the  big 


prairies.  Nine  counties  he  covered  in 
his  ministry.  Edgar,  Vermillion, 
Champaign,  Douglas,  Clark,  Cumber- 
land, Coles,  Shelby,  Moultrie  and  part 
of  Macon  county.  The  principal  ob- 
ject of  his  appointment  was  to  look 
after  the  religious  welfare  of  those 
employed  in  the  construction  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad.  Shortly 
after  his  appointment  Father  Ryan 
undertook  the  erection  of  a  brick 
church  at  Urt>ana,  (Champaign') 
which,  however,  was  blown  down  toy 
a  prairie  cyclone  just  as  the  men  were 
preparing  to  put  on  the  roof.  In 
1853,  when  he  lived  in  Baldwinville, 
(North  Arm),  he  is  known  to  have 
attended  Arcola.  Some  years  later,  in 
1856,  Mattoon  was  organized  as  a 
station.  Father  Thomas  Ryan  was 
appointed  its  pastor  by  the  Chicago 
Bishop  and  he  at  once  located  there. 
In  1858  our  pioneer  priest  commenced 
the  first  church  building  in  that  thrifty 


town,  which,  however,  was  not 
finished  till  the  following  year,  when 
it  was  dedicated  'by  Bishop  Juncker. 
The  number  of  resident  Catholic 
families  at  that  time  were  'but  eight. 
The  visits  made  by  Father  Ryan  over 
his  extensive  territory  were  neither 
frequent  nor  regular.  When  pastor 
of  Mattoon  he  lived  in  a  small  house, 
and  in  it  he  died  in  June,  1863. 

The  body  of  this  pioneer  of  religion 
in  the  West  lies  in  the  little  village 
churchyard  of  St.  Mary's  of  the 
Woods,  Indiana. 

One  day,  Father  Ryan  was  visited 
by  a  young  priest,  newly  ordained, 
and  just  starting  out  on  the  mission. 
"When  you  go  back  to  Alton,  tell  the 
Bishop  to  leave  you  here  with  me.  I 
am  too  old  and  feeble  to  attend  sick 
calls.  The  people  don't  mind  me  any 
more.  My  pews  are  rented  to  them 
for  $2.50  a  year,  and  the  blackguards 
wont  pay  me."  The  young  priest 
would  have  been  delighted  to  help  old 
Father  Tom,  but  the  Bishop  could  not 
spare  him. 

Whatever  Father  Ryan  may  have 
been  intellectually,  physically  he  was 
a  tall,  fine  looking  old  gentleman.  He 
had  overflowing  Irish  wit  and 
shrewdness  under  his  jokes  and  funny 
ghost  stories,  few  gave  him  credit  for. 

Like  Father  Alleman  in  Northern 
Illinois,  Father  Ryan  travelled  mostly 
on  foot  from  mission  to  mission.  His 
historian  vouches  for  the  fact  that 
during  retreat  time  he  kept  his  fellow- 
priests  laughing  by  his  funny  stories. 
That  Father  Ryan  was  a  zealous 
priest  and  founder  of  future  churches 
in  Eastern  Illinois,  no  one  can  dis- 
pute. That  he  made  light  and  merry 
of  his  hardships  was  to  his  credit  as 
a  representative  of  the  'buoyancy  and 
cheerfulness  of  his  race, 

May  God  rest  the  soul  of  old 
Father  Tom  Ryan. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Two 


REV.  IRENAEUS  ST.  CYR. 


"And  earth  and  heaven  tell  of  rest  that  shall 

not  cease, 

Where   the   cold  world's   farewell   fades   into 
endless  peace". 

Among  the  first  priests  known  to 
have  ministered  to  the  Catholics  in 
the  then  sparsely  settled  places  now 
comprised  within  the  confines  of  the 
Alton  diocese,  was  Rev.  Paul  Lefevre, 
who  subsequently  became  Bishop  of 
Detroit.  In  his  wake  came  Father 


Irenaeus  St.  Cyr,  rightly  styled  the 
Apostle  of  Chicago.  He  was  sent 
thither  by  Bishop  Rosatn,  of  St. 
Louis,  at  the  instance  of  an  urgent 
petition  signed  by  the  first  Catholic 
settlers  of  that  nascent  city: 

The  following  is  Bishop  Rosatti's 
letter  appointing  Father  St.  Cyr  to 
the  Chicago  mission:  It  is  of  more 
than  passing  interest  to  the  priests  oi 
the  Alton  Diocese,  hence  we  append 
it  in  full.  It  read  as  follows: 

Joseph  Rosatti  of  the  Congregation  of 
Missouri  by  the  Grace  of  God  and 
the  Apostolic  See  to  the  Rev.  John 
Irenaeus  St.  Cyr,  Driest  of  Our  Di- 
ocese, Health  in  the  Lord: 

Dear  Sir — Whereas,  not  few  Catho- 
lic men  inhabiting  the  town  common- 
ly called  Chicago,  and  its  vicinage,  in 
the  state  of  Illinois,  have  laid  before 
me  that  they  are  deprived  of  all  spirit- 
ual consolation  and  vehemently  desire 
that  I  should  send  thither  a  priest, 
who  by  the  exercise  of  his  pastoral 
gifts  should  supply  to  them  the  means 


of  performing  the  offices  of  the 
Christian  religion  and  providing  for 
their  eternal  salvation.  Wishing,  as 
far  as  in  me  lies  to  satisfy  a  desire 
at  once  so  pious  and  praiseworthy,  by 
virtue  of  the  power  of  Vicar-General 
granted  to  me  by  the  Bishop  of 
Bardstown,  Ky.,  I  depute  you  to  the 
mission  of  Chicago  and  the  adjoining 
regions  within  the  state  of  Illinois,  all 
of  which  have  been  hitherto  under  the 
spiritual  administration  of  the  said 
Most  Illustrious  and  Most  Reverend 
Bishop  of  Bardstown,  grant  you  un- 
til revoked,  all  the  powers  as  de- 
scribed in  the  next  page,  with  this 
condition,  however,  that  as  soon  as 
soever  it  shall  be  known  to  you  that 
a  new  Episcopal  See  shall  have  been 
elected  and  established  by  the  Holy 
and  Apostolic  See  from  the  territory 
of  other  Sees  now  existing,  to  that 
Bishop  within  the  limits  of  whose  dio- 
cese the  aforesaid  Chicago  mission  is 
included,  you  shall  render  an  account 
of  all  things  which  shall  have  been 
transacted  by  you,  and  surrender  the 
place  to  such  priest  as  shall  be  by 
him  deputed  to  the  same  mission  and 
you  with  God's  favor  shall  return  to 
our  diocese  from  which  we  declare 
you  to  be  by  no  means  separated  by 
this  present  mission. 

Given  at  St.  Louis  from  the  Episcopal 
Building  the  17th  day  of  April,  1833. 

JOSEPH,  Bishop  of  St.  Louis. 

After  a  hard,  tedious  journey  Father 
St.  Cyr  arrived  in  Chicago  on  the  3rd 
of  May,  and  received  a  most  cordial 
greeting  from  the  people  of  Chicago. 
Father  St.  Cyr,  with  the  hearty  sup- 
port of  both  Catholics  and  Protest- 
ants, commenced  the  erection  of  a 
frame  church  on  a  lot  donated  by 
the  Beaubien  family,  situated  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  State  and  Lake 
streets.  The  location  was  near  the 
fort,  where  Father  St.  Cyr  obtained 
hospitable  quarters  with  Major  Whist- 
ler until  his  house  of  logs  was  built 
and  sufficiently  out  of  town. 

He  dedicated  it  to  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin Mary.  This  was  in  1834.  Under 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Three 


date  of  January  11,  of  that  same  year 
he  reports  to  his  Ordinary  of  St. 
Louis,  that  he  had  visited  Sugar 
Creek,  Bear  Creek,  Springfield  and 
other  missions." 

From  June  12,  1837-May  1839, 
Father  St.  Cyr  periodically  visited 
Quincy  and  the  outlying  missions  in 
Missouri  and  Iowa,  having  St.  Aug- 
gustine  in  Fulton  county  as  head- 
quarters. He  looked  av:er  tne  spirit- 
ual needs  of  the  English  speaking 
people  of  Quincy  till  relieved  by  the 
advent  of  Father  Tucker. 

The  life  of  Father  St.  Cyr  was 
naturally'  an  eventful  and  self-sacri- 
ficing one.  The  manifold  hardships 
he  underwent  in  those  now  distant 
pioneer  days,  are  almost  beyond  be- 
lief, and  yet  he  but  did  what  almost 
any  one  priest  had  to  do  in  those  early 
years,  building  rough  log  churches 
for  the  growing  flocks,  gathering  the 
scattered  members  into  congrega- 
tions, riding  for  months  from  one 
town  and  village  to  another,  fording 
streams,  driving  over  impossible 
roads,  often  sleeping  on  saddle-bags 
or  wrapped  in  a  blanket  seeking  a 
night's  rest  under  some  protecting 
tree,  sharing  with  the  poor  settlers 
their  scanty  meals  which  mostly  con- 
sisted of  but  rancid  bacon  and  hard 
corn  bread,  etc.  And  yet  our  sub- 
ject bore  all  such  hardships  and  pri- 
vations cheerfully  whilst  we  in  our 
day  and  generation  would  soon  des- 
pair of  such  missionary  efforts.  His 
visits  were  always  looked  forward  to 
by  the  Catholic  people  with  eager 
anticipation. 

He  was  accustomed  to  travel  the 
prairie  of  Illinois  on  a  little  white 
horse,  says  Larmer,  and  when  he  was 
expected  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
Catholics  to  look  out  for  him  as  he 
could  be  seen  and  known  from  great 
distance  from  the  upland  prairies. 

On  one   occasion  a  prairie  cyclone 


arose  and  the  Catholics  were  looking 
out  for  the  priest.  Father  St.  Cyr 
came  near  one  of  the  settlers  cabins 
as  the  wind  increased  in  fury  and  the 
people  fearing  he  and  his  horse  would 
be  blown  away,  a  tall  herculean  Ken- 
tucky Catholic  ran  and  lifted  Father 
St.  Cyr  and  his  little  white  horse  into 
a  cellar  and  saved  both.  It  was  after- 
wards a  common  joke  to  point  to  the 
man  who  had  lifted  alone  a  little 
French  priest  and  his  little  white 
steed  into  a  cellar  and  saved  both 
from  destruction  by  the  cyclone. 

After  Father  St.  Cyr  was  removed 
from  Chicago  he  devoted  his  life  en- 
tirely to  the  missions,  principally  to 
those  of  Central  Illinois.  He  at- 
tended the  French  Socialists  at  War- 
saw, who  had  abandoned  the  Socialist 
colony  of  the  Icarians  founded  by 
Etienne  Cabet  at  Nauvoo,  in  1848, 
after  the  Mormon  exodus  from  that 
place,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  most 
of  them  back  to  the  Catholic  Church. 

After  years  of  toil  and  extraordi- 
nary zeal  in  Northern  Missouri  and 
the  prairie  of  Illinois,  Father  St.  Cyr 
was  retired  as  a  chaplain  to  a  Con- 
vent at  Carondolet,  St.  Louis,  where 
he  died  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  more 
than  eighty  years,  in  1882. 

Father  St.  Cyr  had  the  reputation 
of  a  mild  and  scholarly  priest.  His 
simplicity  of  character  and  refined 
manners  were  often  a  source  of  mer- 
riment to  the  big  earnest  and  honest 
but  rough  Kentucky  Catholics  who 
had  settled  Central  Illinois.  But  he 
inspired  all  with  respect  and  venera- 
tion for  him. 

Our  pioneer  priest  of  the  present 
Alton  territory  was  a  native  of  Lyons, 
France,  where  he  was  born  January 
2,  1804.  He  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  at  St.  Louis  by  Bishop 
Rosatti,  April  6,  1833. 

May  he  rest  in  peace. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Four 


REV.  JOHN   SANDROCK. 


"Rest  to  the  weary  spirit 
Peace  to  the  quiet  dead". 

When,  in  September,  1872,  Rev. 
Francis  Ostrop  was  transferred  from 
St.  Mary's  parish  of  Alton  to  assume 
the  rectorship  of  St.  Boniface  congre- 
gation of  Quincy,  Bishop  Baltes  ap- 
pointed Rev.  John  Sandrock,  at  the 
time  pastor  of  St.  Marie,  in  Jasper 
County,  to  become  his  successor  at 
Alton.  He  was  a  picture  of  robust 
health.  Though  his  priestly  life  of 
some  fourteen  years  had  been  spent  in 
hard  work,  accompanied  by  many 
hardships  and  trials.  A  pioneer  priest 
he  had  been  inured  to  these  many  au- 
sterities and  self-denials.  Before  long 
he  was  enthroned  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people  of  Alton.  By  his  earnestness 
of  demeanor,  genuine  piety  and  elo- 
quent sermons,  he  soon  gained  their 
respect  and  affection  in  an  uncom- 
mon degree.  His  countrymen,  the 
people  from  the  Eichsfeld,  were  just- 
ly proud  of  him.  But  his  administra- 
tion of  the  affairs  of  St.  Mary's  was 


to  be  rudely  interrupted  by  premature 
cruel  death.  It  was  during  the  small- 
pox epidemic  in  1873  that  he  caught 
the  contagious  disease  while  attend- 
ing some  of  these  small-pox  sufferers. 
He  exposed  himself  to  its  violent  con- 
tagion more  than  proper  caution 
would  have  warranted.  The  stricken 
priest,  forsaken  and  alone,  died  with- 
out the  consolation  of  his  church,  on 
May  10,  1873.  His  remains  were  in- 
terred in  the  Catholic  cemetery  of 
Alton. 

Rev.  John  Sandrock  was  born  near 
Paderborn  in  Westfalia,  on  Nov.  4, 
1833,  emigrated  to  this  country  Aug. 
4,  1858,  and  became  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  November  19,  1858.  From 
March  1,  1859,  till  his  transfer  to 
Alton  in  1872,  he  acted  a=  pastor  of 
St.  Marie. 

Almost  as  short  as  Father  Sand- 
rock's  career  at  St.  Mary's,  proved 
that  of  his  successor,  Rev.  Vincent 
Xagler. 


VERY  REV.  HERMAN  JOSEPH  SCHAEFER 
MEYER,  V.  G. 


"He   hath   holier   and   nobler   fame 
By  poor  men's  hearths,   who  love  and  bless 

the  name 

Of  a  kind  friend;   and  in  low  tones  today 
Speak  tenderly  of  him  who  passed  away  '. 

Whilst  Rev.  A.  F.  Brickwedde,  the 
founder  and  first  pastor  of  St.  Boni- 
face congregation  of  Quincy,  was 
visiting  in  Europe,  he  succeeded  in  in- 
ducing several  young  clergymen  to 
espouse  the  cause  of  the  American 
missions  and  to  accompany  or  follow 
him  across  the  ocean  and  here  work 
in  the  Lord's  vineyard  where  a  scarc- 
ity of  priestly  laborers  was  keenly 
felt.  Less  defections  from  the  faitli 
would  have  taken  place  and  less  leak- 
ages been  chronicled,  had  there  been 
a  sufficiency  of  priests  at  the  time 
when  town  and  hamlets  sprung  up 
over  night  like  mushrooms  after  a 
warm  summer-day's  shower  and  the 
fame  of  the  California  goldfields  had 
lured  thousands  of  people  thither, 
when  the  best  of  farm  lands  were  of- 
fered to  the  homeseekers  for  a  song. 


a  mere  pittance.  In  those  days,  in  the 
fifties  of  the  last  century  our  young 
diocese  hailed  amongst  others  the  ad- 
vent of  a  loyal,  true  and  self-sacrific- 
ing priest,  one  who  had  already 
labored  with  apostolic  zeal  for  more 
than  fifteen  years  in  the  fatherland, 
it  was  Rev.  Herman  J.  Schaefer- 
meyer.  Highly  recommended  for  effi- 
ciency and  priestly  virtues  by  his  own 
Ordinary,  the  new-comer  from  Europe 
was  cordially  welcomed  by  the  Bishop 
of  Alton,  and  at  once  assigned  to  the 
pastorate  of  St.  Boniface  of  Quincy, 
the  incumbency  of  which  was  vacant, 
there  being  an  inter-regnum  since  the 
death  of  Father  Kuenster  from  1857- 
58.  On  December  18,  of  the  last  named 
year,  the  new  pastor  formally  took 
charge  of  its  parochial  affairs.  The 
loyal  people  of  the  parish  at  once 
stood  by  their  pastor,  seconded  his 
views  and  helped  to  carry  out  his  far- 
reaching  plans.  And  in  fact.  Father 
Schaefermeyer  was  just  the  man  these 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Ticenty-Five 


people  needed,  kind  but  firm  and  ener- 
getic. Reforms  were  inaugurated  and 
soon  new  life  began  to  course  through 
the  veins  of  the  parish,  the  obstreper- 
ous spirit  of  former  days  became  sub- 
dued and  began  to  fade  and  vanish. 
St.  Boniface  was  on  the  eve  of  an  era 
of  prosperity  and  progress. 


It  was  at  this  juncture  that  Father 
Schaefermeyer  suggested  to  the 
Bishop  that  he  extend  an  invitation  to 
the  German  Franciscans  to  come  and 
locate  in  the  diocese.  In  1859  they 
came  to  Quincy,  as  did  likewise  the 
Sisters  de  Notre  Dame.  On  June  12, 
1860,  Bishop  Damian  Junker  ap- 
pointed him  a  Vicar  General,  which 
appointment  was  later  re-affirmed  by 
his  successor,  Bishop  Baltes.  Be- 
tween the  years  1859  and  1867,  Father 
Schaefermeyer  lent  a  helping  hand  in 
the  founding  of  St.  Francis  College, 
St.  Mary's  Hospital  and  St.  Mary's 
Academy;  likewise  do  St.  Antonius 
parish  of  Melrose,  St.  Joseph's  on 


Columbus  Road  and  St.  Mary's  parish 
of  Quincy,  owe  him  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude for  the  interest  he  took  in  their 
beginning  and  subsequent  develop- 
ment. 

The  great  work  he  accomplished  at 
St.  Boniface  during  the  fourteen  years 
of  incumbency  has  been  eloquently 
told  by  Father  Bruener  in  his  ''His- 
tory of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Quin- 
cy." For  a  long  time  it  had  been 
Father  Schaefermeyer's  desire  to  re- 
tire from  the  turmoil  of  the  world  into 
the  seclusion  of  the  cloister.  Now 
his  work  of  reformation  in  St.  Boni- 
face parish  had  been  accomplished, 
his  cherished  wish  assumed  tangible 
form  and  on  September  23,  1872,  he 
quietly  slipped  away  from  Quincy  to 
join  the  Carmelite  Order  of  Scipio, 
Kansas.  After  some  months  of  proba- 
tion, however,  he  decided  to  exchange 
the  Carmelite  habit  for  that  of  the 
Franciscans.  He  entered  the  Francis- 
can Monastery  at  Teutopolis  where 
from  thenceforth  he  became  known  to 
the  world  as  Father  Liborius,  O.  F. 
M. 

Father  Herman  Joseph  Schaefer- 
meyer was  born  July  18,  1818,  at  Boke, 
near  Paderborn,  Germany.  He  was 
elevated  to  the  priesthood  August  14, 
1843,  and  worked  with  great  fervor 
in  the  parish  of  Neiderwernger  until 
setting  sail  for  America.  He  arrived 
on  our  shores  September  14,  1858. 
After  donning  the  Franciscan  habit  he 
labored  at  Chicago,  1876-79,  St.  Louis 
1879-'82,  then  at  Joliet,  returning  to 
Quincy  November  19,  1886,  where, 
after  a  long  and  patiently  borne  ill- 
ness, he  died  at  St.  Francis  Monastery 
May  10,  1887,  and  was  buried  on  the 
13th  from  St.  Francis  church.  His  re- 
mains were  deposited  in  St.  Boniface 
cemetery  of  Quincy.  May  God  grant 
him  eternal  rest.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Six 


REV.  WILLIAM  SCHAMONI. 


"Twilight's  mystery  is  so  sweet  and  holy 
Just  because  it  ends  in  starry  night". 

Among  the  number  of  assistant 
priests  who  served  St.  Boniface  parish 
of  Quincy,  we  find  the  name  of  Rev. 
Wm.  Schamonie  enrolled.  He  proved 
to  be  an  efficient  helper  to  the  pastor, 
Rev.  H.  Schaefermeyer.  His  stay 
there,  however,  lasted  only  from  April 
19-Oct.  25,  1868,  when  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  East  St.  Louis  to  assume 
temporary  charge  of  St.  Henry's  con- 
gregation, succeeding  the  Rev.  Ger- 
hard Leve,  who  had  been  ordered  to 
Mascoutah.  When,  on  January  26, 
1869,  Rev.  Christopher  Koenig  was 
appointed  pastor  of  St.  Henry's, 
Father  Schamonie  was  assigned  to  the 
parish  of  Red  Bud,  in  Randolph 
county.  We  next  find  him  presiding 
as  pastor  over  the  parish  at  Lourdes, 


and  later  on,  in  1877  at  Henry  and 
Metamora  inthe  diocese  of  Peoria, 
where  he  became  favorably  known  to 
Bishop  and  priests,  for  his  talents  and 
energies  were  such  that  success  at- 
tended his  every  undertaking.  This 
was  forcibly  put  forth  by  Bishop 
Spalding,  for  when  Father  Schamonie 
had  died  at  Henry  in  1882,  the  learned 
and  eloquent  Bishop  delivered  a  most 
impressive  funeral  sermon  in  the 
course  of  which  he  paid  unstinted 
praise  to  the  efforts  and  priestly 
virtues  of  the  deceased. 

Father  Wm.  Schamoni  was  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  born  at  Holinghau- 
sen,  Westfalia,  in  1835;  studied  at  Teu- 
topolis  and  Montreal.  At  the  latter 
place  he  was  ordained  in  April,  1868. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  AUGUSTINE  SCHLEGEL. 


"For  soon  the  ashes  of  the  day 

Are  gathered  in  the  west, 
And  one  by  one   we   lay  us  down 
Forever  more   to  rest". 

Sublime  in  moral  courage  and  ex- 
alted in  ambition,  strictly  honorable 
in  all  actions  and  true  in  all  friend- 
ships, Father  Schlegel  combined  in 
his  character  a  multitude  of  virtues 
which  elevated  him  far  above  the 
average  man.  By  his  forcefulness  of 
character  and  indomitable  will  power 
he  succeeded  where  others  had  signal- 
ly failed,  he  was  a  martinet  who 
fearlessly  carried  out  his  plans  once 
they  seemed  plausible  and  advantage- 
ous to  the  interests  of  religion  in 
general  and  his  parish  is  particular. 
Little  did  he  care  for  public  opinion 
and  he  spurned  the  plaudits  of  men. 
Plain  and  outspoken,  he  never  tried 
to  hide  the  meaning  of  his  sayings 
by  equivocal  and  ambiguous  language 
he  never  minced  words  but  called  "a 
spade"  by  its  proper  name.  Castigat- 
ing, for  instance,  the  stubbornness 
of  his  own  country  people,  those  hail- 
ing from  Baden,  he  hesitated  not  to 
call  them  at  times  "Badische  Kuh- 
hoerner,"  a  well  known  appellation 
not  very  flattering  and  yet  seemingly 
not  hurting  the  feelings  of  his  listen- 


ers to  any  appreciable  degree.  Both 
in  private  and  public  utterances  he 
held  to  his  opinions  and  followed  his 
convictions.  The  height  of  his  ambi- 
tion was  to  do  his  duty  well.  He 
loved  his  church  and  his  country  with 
equal  intensity.  Beneath  an  often 
blunt  and  harsh  exterior  there  pu' 
sated  a  sott  and  tender  heart  full  of 
sympathy  and  pity  for  his  fellow  men 
the  needy  and  destitute.  His  exalted 
character,  his  intellectual  powers,  his 
extensive  and  varied  learning  were 
united  with  steady  industrious  and 
economic  habits.  To  all  these  gifts 
may  be  ascribed  the  large  measure  of 
success  which  he  attained  in  the  vari- 
ous parishes  over  which  he  was  sent 
to  preside,  Mt.  Carmel,  Edwards- 
ville  and  Highland.  In  a  brief  historic 
sketch  of  the  St.  Boniface  congrega- 
tion of  Edwardsville,  he  is  spoken  of 
as  "the  second  founder"  of  that 
parish. 

Rev.  Augustine  Schlegel  was  born 
August  30,  1851,  at  Allmansdorf,  in 
Baden,  and  came  to  this  country 
when  he  had  finished  his  classical 
studies.  Here  St.  Francis  Seminary 
near  Milwaukee  became  his  Alma 
Mater.  And  when  the  theological 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Sevtn 


studies  were  ended,  he  received  ordi- 
nation from  Bishop  Baltes  in  the 
private  chapel  at  Alton,  June  24,  1877. 
Father  Schlegel's  first  appointment 
was  to  Mt.  Carmel  (now  Belleville 
diocese),  where  he  worked  splendidly 


for  some  four  years  at  the  end  of 
which — by  mutual  agreement — he  ex- 
changed places  with  Rev.  Father 
Gerard  Janssen,  then  pastor  of  St. 


Boniface  parish  of  Edwardsville.  His 
stay  here  dates  from  1877  till  July  15, 
1896.  Here  he  is  styled — as  already 
mentioned — "the  second  founder"  of 
the  parish,  because  it  was  he  who 
brought  order  out  of  chaos,  introduced 
a  number  of  necessary  reforms  and 
caused  many  improvements  to  be 
made.  Thus  in  1882  a  new  school 
building  was  erected,  in  1889  the  leaky 
church  roof  covered  with  slate  shin- 
gles, in  1890  new  altars  purchased,  a 
Sisters'  residence  constructed  in  1892, 
a  new  pipe  organ  installed  in  1894, 
and  a  new  heating  plant  two  years 
later. 

Father  Schlegel  had  for  awhile  an 
assistant  in  the  person  of  REV.  GER- 
HARD H'OPPE,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
look  after  the  parish  of  Staunton.  This 
Father  Hoppe  exiled  himself  to  the 
Trappist  Monastery  of  Gethsemane, 
Ky.,  joined  the  membership  of  the 
Community,  and  died  there  some  fif- 
teen years  ago  as  Father  Leonhard. 

Our  zealous  and  untiring  priest, 
however,  could  not  draw  on  his 
strength  supply  indefinitely,  his  health 
in  meantime  had  become  undermined 
and  a  sick  man,  he  was  ordered  to  the 
pastorate  of  St.  Paul's  of  Highland, 
whose  pastor  had  been  transferred  to 
St.  Mary's  of  Alton.  Father  Schlegel 
suffered  of  cancer  of  the  stomach  and 
it  was  that  painful  affliction  which 
caused  his  death  at  the  hospital  of 
Highland,  September  24,  1903,  at  the 
age  of  52  years.  At  the  solemn  obse- 
quies presided  over  by  the  Bishop  in 
the  presence  of  scores  of  clerical 
friends,  Rev.  Albin  Breinlinger  of 
Millstadt,  111.,  a  countryman  and  for- 
mer schoolmate  of  departed,  pro- 
nounced a  fine  eulogy  on  the  life  and 
character  of  our  lamented  friend,  Rev. 
Augustine  Schlegel.  His  remains 
bedded'  in  St.  Paul's  cemetery  of 
Highland,  111.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  Ont  Hundred  and  Tirenty-Eight 


REV.   ADOLF   SCHNEIDER. 


"Farewell    for    ever,  now; 
In  peace  we  part: 
Remember  that  I  thank  you  from  my  heart". 

A  companionable  and  good-natured 
man  was  Rev.  Adolf  Schneider,  who, 
after  a  brief  illness  of  but  few  weeks, 
was  claimed  by  death  at  the  rectory 
of  St.  Ann's  parish  of  Edgewood, 
January  26,  1914.  An  abcess  on  the 


brain  had  caused  his  early  demise, 
for  when  called  our  subject  was  but 
40  years  old.  His  birthplace  was 
Frankfort,  in  Germany. 

An  only  child  of  his  parents,  our 
defunct  friend  received  a  splendid  edu- 
cation. Desirous  for  a  higher  spiritual 
life  he  decided  to  enter  the  services  of 


the  Church.  To  that  end  he  applied  for 
admission  to  the  Seminary  of  Knecht- 
stetten,  conducted  by  the  "Fathers  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,"  of  which  communi- 
ty he  soon  became  a  member.  Having 
almost  finished  his  theological  course, 
he  decided  on  coming  to  America.  At 
St.  Francis  Seminary,  Wisconsin, .  he 
completed  his  unfinished  ecclesiastical 
studies,  was  ordained  by  Bishop  Eis, 
in  St.  Peter's  Cathedral,  of  Marquette, 
June  1,  1901,  whose  diocese  he  had 
joined,  and  was  appointed  to  the 
parish  of  Grand  Marrais,  Mich.  Here 
he  remained  several  years.  Xot  being 
accustomed  nor  acclimated,  however, 
to  the  severity  of  the  long  northern 
winters  and  the  keen,  icy  blasts  that 
sweep  the  northern  lakes  and  im- 
pelled moreover  by  rather  more  per- 
sonal reasons,  Father  Schneider,  with 
his  Bishop's  permission,  went  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  to  become  an  assist- 
ant to  the  Jate  Monsignor  Xiermann. 
After  a  stay  of  about  one  year  in  that 
city,  he  drifted  into  the  Alton  diocese, 
where  at  Collinsville  and  Quincy,  (St. 
Boniface  and  St.  Mary's)  he  acted  as 
assistant  and  thereafter  was  sent  as 
pastor  to  Edgewood,  where  he  was  un- 
expectedly summoned  away  .from  the 
field  of  his  labors  by  death  . 

Funeral  services  were  held  at  Car- 
linville,  where  he  had  substituted  for 
awhile  during  the  illness  of  the  late 
Father  Ader.  His  remains  were 
buried  in  St.  Joseph's  cemetery  of 
that  place.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  FRANCIS  X.  SCHREIBER. 


''Death  alone  has  strength  to  take  me 
Where  my  foe  can  never  be". 

A  contributor  to  German  papers 
and  a  poet  of  some  merit  was  Rev. 
Francis  Schreiber.  His  poetic  ef- 
fusions laid  down  in  ''Amanda"  are  de- 
scriptive of  customs  and  traditions 
and  folk  lore  of  his  native  land. 
Among  his  English  poems  is  that  of 
"Grace  Darling",  the  railroad  heroine 
who  in  the  nick  of  time  saved  a  pas- 
senger train  from  crossing  a  burning 
bridge,  the  most  popular.  It  was 
copied  by  the  press  of  the  land. 


Father  Francis  Xavier  Schreiber 
was  born  at  Warsburg,  in  the  diocese 
of  Paderborn,  Dec.  16,  1834.  He  came 
to  this  country  Nov.  3,  1856,  and  re- 
ceived Holy  Orders  from  Archbishop 
Kenrick  at  St.  Louis,  June  25,  1858, 
ordained  for  the  diocese  of  Alton. 

During  his  activity  in  our  midst  we 
meet  him  as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's 
church  of  Carlinsville  in  1861  and 
later  on  July  18.  1857,  he  takes  charge 
of  St.  Mary's  church  of  Xew  Berlin. 
The  present  handsome  brick  building 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Tmenty-Nin 


of  that  parish    owes   its   existence   to 
the  efforts  of  Father  Schreiber.     Here 


he  remained  five  years  when  circum- 
stances compelled  him  to  hand  in  his 


resignation  to  the  Bishop.  Father 
Schreiber's  next  place  was  Vandalia, 
1872-73.  From  there  he  moved  to 
Henry,  and  then  comes  the  important 
charge  of  Bloomington,  at  St.  Mary's, 
where  he  became  the  first  resident 
rector  of  that  parish  from  1877-'81, 
after  which  it  went  over  into  the 
hands  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers.  At 
this  juncture  our  subject  retired  from 
active  pastoral  duty  and  lived  the  life 
of  seclusion  at  Havana,  111.  When 
sickness  and  the  accompanying  in- 
firmities of  old  age  crept  upon  him 
he  betook  himself  to  the  Ursuline  con- 
vent of  St.  Louis,  where  he  peacefully 
expired  June  20,  1905.  His  remains 
were  interred  at  Arcadia,  Mo. 

Father  Schreiber  was  the  first  priest 
to  offer  holy  Mass  at  Todt's  school 
house  in  the  present  parish  of  Ray- 
mond, corning  occasionally  thither 
when  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  at  Carlin- 
ville.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   JOHN   SHERIDAN. 


'  'For   what    God   designs    to    try    with    sorrow 
He  means  not   to  decay  tomorrow". 

But  meagre  are  the   details   known 


its  first  resident  rector,  from  1864- '65, 
succeeding  Rev.  A.  Laurent.  Father 
Sheridan  thereupon  joined  the  Cleve- 


of  Father  Sheridan.    He  was  pastor  of      land  diocese,  where  he  died  some  years 
St.  John's   church   of   Carrollton,   and       later. 

REV.  F.  X.  SMITH. 


"Our   feet   are   worn   and   weary 
But  we  will  not  despair". 

He  was  the  son  of  William  J.  Smith 
and  Alice  Wittaker,  born  Decemiber 
9,  1869,  and  ordained  at  Mt.  St.  Mary's, 
Cincinnati,  by  Archbishop  Elder,  on 
June  21,  1893.  Among  the  various 
minor  charges  which  he  presided  over 


was  that  of  Brighton  from  1896- '99. 
Sickness  and  conditions  induced  him 
to  repeatedly  seek  a  change  of  climate, 
but,  nevertheless,  the  bright  young 
priest  succumbed  to  an  early  death  at 
the  Alton  hospital  November  28,  1905. 
R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JAMES  P.  SMITH. 


On  July  31,  1880,  the  people  of  Ed- 
wardsville,  but  more  particularly  the 
members  of  St.  Mary's  congregation 
became  shocked  when  they  learned 
of  Father  Smith's  tragic  death.  On 
that  morning  when  Mass  time  arrived 
and  the  priest  could  nowhere  be  lo- 
cated, upon  investigation  by  the 
alarmed  parishioners  poor  Father 
Smith's  lifeless  body  was  found  in  the 


well  adjoining  his  residence.  It  was 
known  that  the  good  priest  habitually 
drew  a  bucket  of  water  from  the  well 
before  retiring.  This  he  did  on  the 
fatal  evening,  for  the  lamp  was  still 
found  burning  on  his  library  table 
next  morning.  Father  Smith  was  a 
very  corpulent  man,  hence  the  suppo- 
sition that  when  he  was  bending  for- 
ward over  the  open  well  he  became 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty 


overbalanced  and   thus  met  his  cruel 
fate. 

To  Father  Smith's  credit  it  can  be 
said  that  he  again  placed  St.  Mary's 
of  Edwardsville  on  a  good  footing. 
During  his  administration  ground  was 
bought  and  plans  for  a  new  church 
were  secured  which  were  carried  out 
by  his  successor  on  a  more  conveni- 
ent new  site. 

Rev.  James  Smith,  son  of  Patrick 
Smith  and  ?.!ary  Galligan,  was  born 
Aug.  15,  1848  at  Grosser-Laugh,  Ire- 
land, and  ordained  a  priest  June  29, 
1879,  at  the  Alton  Cathedral  by 
Bishop  Baltes.  He  was  buried  at  Ed- 
wardsville. R.  I.  P. 


REV.  CLEMENT  ALOYS  SOMMER. 


"Faithful  soldier  of  the  cross! 
Peaceful  be  thy  rest 
On  thy  Savior's  breast. 
Gain  is  thine,  though  ours  is  loss!" 

"God's  finger  touched  him  and  he 
slept."  That  which  was  mortal  of 
Rev.  C.  A.  Sommer  lapsed  quietly 
into  death's  embrace  at  St.  Clara's 


rectory  of  Altamont  during  the  mid- 
night hour  on  the  day  before  Epipha- 
ny, January  5,  1903.  His  death  was 
wholly  unexpected  by  his  parishioners 
and  confreres  of  the  clergy  to  whom 
the  cruel  news  came  with  a  force  that 
greatly  saddened.  Strengthened  and 


fortified  by  the  last  sacraments  of  his 
church,  consoled  by  the  presence  and 
prayers  of  a  brother  priest,  L.  Lam- 
mert,  and  a  good  Sister  of  Mercy  who 
knelt  by  the  bedside  when  the  end 
came,  he  passed  calmly  and  peaceful- 
ly away.  Dreaded  pneumonia,  con- 
tracted during  the  previous  Christ- 
mas holidays  caused  his  premature 
demise.  And  no  wonder.  In  a  coun- 
try parish  a  priest  often  has  to  com- 
bine the  office  of  pastor  and  sexton  in 
one  person.  Aside  from  long  hours 
in  the  Confessional  and  that  not  in- 
frequently  in  a  cold,  damp  and 
draughty  church,  he  trims  the  altars, 
rings  the  Angelus  bell  and  in  early 
morning  hour  kindles  the  fire  in  the 
church  stove  for  the  comfort  of  his 
people.  And  Father  Sommer  met  in 
the  struggles  of  his  priestly  life  such 
multitudinous  demands  with  unwav- 
ering courage  and  unflagging  devo- 
tion, not  only  here  at  Altamont  dur- 
ing the  three  and  one-half  years  of 
service,  but  especially  so  during  the 
fourteen  years'  labor  in  isolated  Cal- 
houn  county  at  Michaels,  with  Kamps- 
ville  and  Hardin  as  missions  attached 
to  his  parish,  in  all  of  which  places, 
his  name  has  become  a  house- 
hold word.  The  good  which  he  ac- 
complished and  the  seeds  he  so  gen- 
erously has  sown  by  word  and  ex- 
ample and  the  sacrifices  and  priva- 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-One 


tions  he  so  cheerfully  shouldered  dur- 
ing the  26  years  of  priestly  life  will 
surely  have  met  at  the  hands  of  his 
God  with  a  generous  response.  Father 
Sommer  was  a  man  of  a  retiring  dis- 
position, unostentatious  and  humble 
in  all  his  doings. 

Born  in  Anfeld,  Westfalia,  July  26, 
1852,  he  graduated  in  his  classical 
studies  at  Paderborn,  became  there- 
upon an  alumnus  of  the  American 
College  of  Muenster  and  received  the 
grace  of  Ordination  in  the  venerable 
Cathedral  of  Osnabrueck,  May  2t>, 
1877.  Bishop  Baltes  directed  the 
young  priest  for  one  year  ro  May- 
ncoth  in  Ireland,  there  to  familiarize 


himself  with  the  English  language  ere 
coming  to  America.  For  fourteen 
years  he  labored  in  Calhoun  county 
with  those  two  doughty  pioneer 
priests,  Revs.  Winterhalter  and  With- 
out, and  on  the  death  of  Fr.  Ostrop 
was  transferred  to  Carlinville.  There 
as  pastor  of  St.  Joseph's  parish  he 
worked  nine  years  till  his  health 
broke  down  and  he  was  given  the 
smaller  congregation  of  Altamont, 
where  after  three  and  one-half  years- 
work  conscientiously  performed  he 
entered  eternal  rest.  His  remains 
were  interred  in  St.  Anthony's  ceme- 
tery og  Efifingham.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   JOSEPH   SPAETH. 


''The   joys   now   seem   so   trivial 
The  griefs  so  poor  and  small". 

The  name  of  Father  Jos.  Spaeth 
will  forever  remain  linked  with  St. 
James'  parish  of  Decatur.  The  Ger- 
man Catholics  prior  to  1877  had  held 
membership  in  St.  Patrick's,  but  grow- 
ing in  number  and  influence  Bishop 
Baltes  considered  it  opportune  to 
gather  them  into  a  separate  parish. 
This  was  done  in  1877  with  Father 
Spaeth  as  organizer  and  builder. 
Church,  school  and  rectory  were 
erected  and  before  long  St.  James 
enjoyed  progress  and  prosperity. 

Rev.  Joseph  Spaeth  was  born  at 
Blitzenreuthe  in  the  diocese  of  Rot- 


tenburg  in  Wuertemburg,  Germany, 
February  20,  1849,  came  to  this  coun- 
try May  5,  1867,  studied  Theology  at 
St.  Francis  Seminary,  Milwaukee  and 
was  ordained  at  Alton,  June  24,  1877. 
From  Decatur  our  subject  -.-.us  trans- 
ferred to  Southern  Illinois,  became 
Cathedral  choir  director  at  Belleville, 
which  position,  however,  he  soon  re- 
linquished. Early  in  the  nineties, 
(1893)  he  joined  the  Detroit  diocese, 
where  he  displayed  his  talents  to 
great  advantage.  He  died  as  pastor 
of  the  German  St.  Joseph's  parish  of 
Port  Huron.  Mich.,  April  19,  1913. 
He  was  buried  in  Decatur.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  FERDINAND   STICK. 


"For     thy     Good     Master     thou     hast     daily 

wrought, 
Enfranchising     the     souls     His      blood      hath 

bought, 

Directing  them  upon   their  heav'nward  way, 
Unto  the  dawn  of  Life,   the    'Perfect  Day'." 

In  these  days  when  the  church  and 
the  world  at  large  needs  every  voice 
unpraised  for  high  thinking  and  doing, 
every  hand  armed  to  strike  for  right- 
eousness, it  is  hard  to  see  the  gaps 
death  has  caused  in  the  ranks  of  our 
clergy  Of  course,  there  always  will 
be  new  recruits  to  till  the  vacant 
places,  but  just  the  same  one  can  ill 
afford  to  lose  any  of  the  true  an.l 
tried  standard  bearers,  such  as  Father 
Stick.  His  people's  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral welfare  was  the  aim  of  his  long 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Tuo 


life-work,  for  our  defunct  had  the  sin- 
gular privilege  to  commemorate  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  his  ordination 
to  the  priesthood,  his  "Golden  Jubilee 
Day,"  December  6,  1913. 

Advanced  in  years,  yet  young  in 
zeal  for  his  Master's  work.  Father 
Stick  passed  on  to  the  higher  re- 
wards of  faithful  service. 

A  symphony  of  simplicity  in 
thought,  speech  and  action  was  the 
predominant  note  in  the  life  of  Rev. 
F.  Stick,  pastor  emeritus  of  St.  Paul's 
parish  of  Highland.  In  consequence 
he  left  his  stamp  on  the  various  com- 
munities which  witnessed  his  stay 


among  them,  Alt.  Sterling,  Tiptown, 
Mattoon,  Madonnaville,  Pana,  Ray- 
mond, Alorrisonville  and  Highland. 

Father  Stick  was  a  man  of  many 
hobbies.  He  would  study  Spanish 
and  Yiddish,  turn  to  his  flute,  take  up 
history  and  delve  into  old  musty  vol- 
umes. He  had  probably  some  of  the 


oldest  codices  on  his  library  shelf  to 
be  found  in  any  priest's  private  libra- 
ry, those  ancient  tomes  bound  with- 
in worm-eaten  wooden  covers  and 
kept  together  with  huge  silver  or 
brass  clasps.  Truly  it  was  interesting 
to  spend  a  few  hours  in  his  company, 
or  at  his  modest  home. 

With  the  passing  of  Father  Stick, 
the  ranks  of  the  diocesan  clergy  ex- 
perienced a  keen  void,  not  that  he 
was  one  of  the  few  Xestors  who  of 
a  by-gone  generation  still  lingered 
among  -us,  but  more  so  of  his  general 
great  usefulness.  Recognizing  his 
merits,  the  Bishop  appointed  him  a 
dean  of  the  district,  and  later  an  ir- 
removable rector  of  St.  Paul's  parish 
of  Highland.  Father  Stick's  main 
parochial  achievements  rest,  however, 
with  the  parish  of  Mattoon,  where 
his  memory  will  not  die  until  the  old- 
est member  thereof  has  sunk  into  the 


grave.  The  motives  of  the  well-in- 
tentioned man  were  at  times  miscon- 
strued by  evil-minded  persons,  such 
as  he  experienced  to  his  sorrow  whilst 
pastor  of  Pana. 

Months  prior  to  his  demise,  in 
July,  1911,  our  departed  one  had  re- 
linquished parochial  'duties  and  had 
retired,  a  patient  to  the  hospital  of 
Highland,  where  he  resignedly  bore 
his  affliction,  which  ultimately  culmi- 
nated in  death,  dropsy.  With  a  won- 
derful buoyancy  of  spirit  which  never 
left  him,  he  submitted  to  God's  holy 
will  and  calmly  awaited  the  day  and 
moment  when  the  Angel  of  Death 
was  to  beckon  him  from  hence.  Sur- 
rounded by  the  Community  of  the 
Good  Sisters,  Father  Stick  expired 
Aoig.  22,  1914,  attaining  the  age  of  75 
years  and  six  months. 

After  the  solemn  obsequies  which 
were  largely  attended  by  Bishop, 
clergy  and  laity,  his  mortal  remains 
were  buried  in  St.  Paul's  cemetery  of 
Highland. 

Rev.  Ferdinand  Stick  was  born  at 
Birkesdorf,  in  the  Archdiocese  of 
Cologne,  February  10,  1839.  When 
fifteen  years  of  age  he  emigrated,  with 
his  parents,  to  this  country,  landing 
on  our  shores  July  1,  1854,  and  set- 
tling near  Guttenberg,  la.  His  early 
classical  education  he  received  at  the 
College  of  Bardstown,  Ky.  Of  his 
first  arrival  at  the  college,  he  often 
spoke.  "When  I  presented  myself 
there,"  he  related,  "I  was  but  a  small 
little  chap  and  about  as  green  as  you 
could  make  him.  1  wore  my  German 
cap  and  carried  my  few  belongings 
wrapped  up  in  a  multicolored  big 
bandana.  The  rector  and  professors 
were  much  amused  at  my  appear- 
ance." 

Young  Stick  carved  his  way  through 
college  and  splendidly  acquitted  him- 
self of  his  studies.  Later  on  he  was 
sent  to  Teutopolis  to  finish  the  pre- 
scribed courses  in  Philosophy  and 
Theology,  at  the  end  of  which  he  was 
ordained  by  Bishop  Junker  at  Alton, 
December  6,  1863.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty -Three 


REV.  JOSEPH  STILL. 


"Rest  now  is  yours,   O  noble  priest, 

Your  work   you've  done,   and  well, 
For  truth  you  fought  any  always  taught 
As  countless  souls  can  tell". 

It  was  on  Easter-Tuesday  morning, 
April  3rd,  1907.  Large  crowds  of  peo- 
ple wended  their  way  to  St.  John's 
church,  of  Quincy.  Their  features 
bore  the  stamp  of  grief  and  mourning. 


29.  The  solemn  obsequies  prior  to 
final  interment  were  had  that  morning 
at  which  Rev.  P.  Andrew,  O.  F.  M., 
delivered  the  funeral  oration. 

The  news  of  the  death  of  this  popu- 
lar and  beloved  priest  were  every- 
where received  with  expressions  of 
sympathy  and  sorrow,  for  to  all,  Cath- 


Two  Bishops  Right  Revs.  Ryan  and 
Janssen  followed  by  a  long  line  of 
surpliced  clergy  entered  the  sanctu- 
ary and  when  there  commenced  the 
recitation  of  the  Office  of  the  Dead. 
Upon  a  raised  dais  surrounded  by  a 
profusion  of  palms,  flowers  and  burn- 
ing candles,  were  catafalqued  the  re- 
mains of  the  beloved  pastor  of  the 
parish.  Rev.  Father  Joseph  Still,  who 
after  a  long  and  painful  illness  borne 
with  heroic  patience  and  resignation 
to  God's  holy  will  had  yielded  to  the 
inevitable,  dying  on  the  Friday  pre- 
vious thereto — Good  Friday — March 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Four 


olics  and  Protestants  alike,  he  had 
proved  a  warm-hearted,  loyal  friend 
and  benefactor.  Broad-minded,  liberal 
and  kind — frank  and  just,  strong  in 
mind  and  strong  in  character,  such 
were  the  traits  of  Father  Still.  All 
who  knew  him  respected  him,  anrt 
those  who  knew  him  well  loved  him. 

Father  Still  was  a  plain  man,  he 
was  an  ordinary  man  to  meet,  he  was 
a  commoner  easy  to  approach  and 
easy  to  understand.  He  was  plain 
spoken  and  outspoken,  a  man  who 
gained  one's  respect  from  the  start 
and  held  it.  It  was  his  frankness  that 


was  captivating,  his  sincerety  that  was 
fascinating.  He  was  a  power  for  good, 
a  leader  among  men  and  his  life  was 
an  example  to  follow. 

Father  Still  was  undaunted  by  re- 
verses. When  in  February,  1891,  St. 
Mary's  church  was  reduced  to  ashes 
he  came  to  the  rescue  with  his  money, 
his  advice  and  his  hands.  While  the 
embers  were  still  smouldering,  he  was 
working  with  hammer,  saw  and 
hatchet,  helping  to  erect  a  temporary 
structure  to  keep  the  congregation  to- 
gether, which  answered  its  purpose 
while  the  present  beautiful  house  of 
worship  was  being  constructed.  Out 
on  Xorth  Tenth  street  stand  -a  num- 
ber of  monuments  which  will  perpet- 
uate his  memory,  St.  John's  church, 
school,  rectory  and  St.  Vincent's 
Home. 

In  his  passing  the  congregation  lost 
the  pastor  who  started  it  in  1880,  the 
man  who  loved  the  people  of  it  and 
the  friend  of  all  who  lived  within  it. 
Hence  the  universal  grief  and  sorrow 
on  the  day  of  his  funeral. 


Father  Still  was  born  in  Uerdingen, 
Germany,  May  25,  1849,  being  scarcely 
fifty-eight  years  of  age  when  death 
summoned  him.  He  made  his  philo- 
sophical and  theological  studies  at  the 
American  College  of  St.  Mauritz, 
Muenster,  and  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  May  22,  1875,  for  the  dio- 
cese of  Alton.  He  landed  in  New 
York,  Sept.  8,  1875,  and  journeyed  at 
once  to  Alton,  where  he  received  the 
appointment  of  assistant  to  Father 
Bartels  of  Germantown,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  until  transferred  to 
Quincy,  May  22,  1880.  Being  told  to 
start  there  the  contemplated  new  St. 
John's  parish,  young  Father  Still  flung 
himself  with  great  ardor  and  enthusi- 
asm into  the  projected  work  with  the 
remarkable  result  already  mentioned. 
His  last  achievement  shortly  before 
his  death,  was  the  purchase — jointly 
with  the  St.  Francis  Parish — of  that 
fine  tract  of  land,  now  Calvary  ceme- 
tery, on  which  he  was  to  find  his  last 
resting  place.  R.  1.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  STORP. 


On     Westphalia's     heathered     soil, 
made  famous  by  song  and  story,  there 


stands    a    quaint    village    with   ancient 


gabled  houses  whose  red-tiled  roofs 
are  seen  from  afar.  It  is  Schapdetten, 
the  birthplace  of  one  of  our  disting- 
uished priests  and  yeomen  workers. 
Rev.  John  Storp.  July  6,  1850  was  his 
natal  day.  On  May  22,  1875,  he  was 
raised  to  the  priesthood  in  the  vener- 
able St.  Ludger  Cathedral  of  Munster 
and  landed  in  America  on  Sept.  20  of 
the  same  year. 

The  first  charge  assigned  to  our 
young  Levite  was  that  of  St.  Patrick's 
of  Pana.  Rev.  F.  Lohmann,  then 
stationed  at  Hillsboro,  to  which  this 
place  was  affiliated,  had  just  pur- 
chased a  residence  there  to  be  used 
as  rectory.  Father  Storp  then  be- 
came the  first  resident  pastor  of  Pana, 
1875-77,  whereupon  he  was  transferred 
to  Shelbyville,  where  during  four 
years  of  unremittent  work  he  wrought 
a  wonderful  change,  erecting  the  pres- 
ent brick  church  at  a  cost  of  $6,000 
and  a  handsome  brick  residence  at  a 
cost  of  $2,000,  causing  Shelbyville  to 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Five 


become   an   independent   ana   self-sus- 
taining congregation. 

In  1831  the  indefatigable  priest  was 
assigned  to  St.  Agnes'  of  Hillsboro  to 
which  Nokomis  belonged  as  out-mis- 
sion. Giving  for  some  years  to  both 
places  undivided  attention,  he  con- 
cluded that  in  order  to  achieve  lasting 
results,  the  promising  and  ever-grow- 
ing St.  Louis'  Parish  of  Xokomis 
should  and  ought  to  have  its  own  per- 
manent pastor.  With  the  sanction  of 
the  Bishop,  Father  Storp,  in  1834.  pur- 
chased a  modest  dwelling  house  and 
took  up  his  residence  in  Nokomis, 
thus  becoming  its  first  resident  pastor. 

Truly,  he  was  a  great  man,  his  capa- 
bilities were  second  to  none. 

His  fellow  students  of  the  Ameri- 
can College  of  Munster  (St.  Mauritz) 
— which  has  since  ceased  to  exist  as 
such — are  nearly  all  dead.  They  com- 
posed a  notable  class  of  young  eccle- 
siastics, each  and  every  one  perform- 
ing in  after  life  good  service  in  their 
future  mission  fields  across  the  At- 
lantic. Among  those  who  were  his 
associates  and  life-long  friends  and 
admirers  we  may  mention  the  Revs. 
A.  Wenker  of  Xaperville,  111.,  H. 
Schrage  and  B.  Stempker  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  A.  Pieke,  Macoutah,  Emmerich 
Weber,  Chicago,  B.  Hasse  Mt.  Ster- 
ling, B.  Ahne,  Bayonne,  N.  J.,  and 
others  equally  distinguished  for  their 
merits. 

Our  decedent  commanded  a  wide 
range  of  information  and  knowledge, 
being  thoroughly  familiar  with  all 
leading  questions  of  the  day.  He  was 
unquestionably  an  eminent  scholar  in 
Theology  and  History,  both  ancient 
and  modern.  An  independent  think- 
er, free  from  bias  and  prejudice, 
Father  Storp's  judgment  had  the 
weight  of  mature  reasoning,  his  argu- 
ments brought  conviction.  Once  de- 
termined upon  a  plan  he  would  set 
every  wheel  in  motion  to  carry  it  out, 
and  this  was  done  in  a  quiet,  un- 
heralded way,  it  was  the  "Storp  way." 
Hence  his  success  in  the  various  mis- 
sion fields  over  which  he  was  called 
to  preside.  He  was  a  lover  of  nature. 
Cheerfully,  therefore,  he  acceded  to 


the  Bishop's  appointment  which  in 
1893  called  him  away  from  Xokomis 
to  the  pastorate  of  Green  Creek,  a 
parish  located  amid  the  waving  corn 
— and  teeming  wheat  fields  of  Effing- 
ham  county,  several  miles  off  the 
railroad.  Whilst  others  had  refused, 
he  was  ready  to  accept.  The  Francis- 
can Fathers  of  Teutopolis  had  re- 
linquished the  charge,  he  then  was  to 
become  its  first  resident  pastor.  Our 
subject  at  once  proceeded  with  the 
construction  of  a  commodious,  splen- 
did two-story  bric'<  residence.  The 
good  farmers  were  equally  proud  of 
their  zealous,  democratic  pastor  and 
helped  him  in  every  way  tD  accom- 
plish his  purpose.  He  had  but  to  ex- 
press his  wish  and  they  cheerfully 
complied  with  its  execution,  for  they 
soon  had  learned  to  love  and  respect 
their  unpretentious  good  priest  whose 
modest  demands  never  exceeded  the 
bounds  of  reasonable  necessity. 

Father  Storp  was  a  man  of  the  peo- 
ple. He  felt  with  and  for  them,  liv- 
ing their  own  simple,  frugal  lives. 
And  yet,  withal,  that  priestly  with- 
drawal and  reserve  which  was  charac- 
teristic of  a  fine  spun  sensitive  nature 
never  left  him.  An  interesting  con- 
versationalist, jovial,  kind  and  gener- 
ous, the  Green  Creek  pastor  dispensed 
indiscriminate  hospitality  and  many 
a  one  journeyed  thither  to  enjoy  a  few 
hours  of  his  benevolent  company. 

Lillyville,  five  miles  distant,  was  at- 
tended from  Green  Creek.  It  had  like- 
wise been  relinquished  by  the  Fran- 
ciscan Fathers  and  our  good  Father 
John  attended  it  not  only  on  Sundays, 
but  likewise  often  on  week  days,  say- 
ing Mass  at  an  early  hour.  Xot 
wishing  to  inconvenience  the  farmers 
in  furnishing  him  a  team,  especially 
when  the  busy  season  was  on,  he 
would  walk  the  distance  afoot.  On 
warm  summer  mornings  when  the  dew 
drops  still  sparkled  on  ferns  and 
grasses,  he  would  pull  off  his  boots 
and  socks,  sling  them  over  his 
shoulders  on  some  hickory  sapling 
and  make  for  Lillyville,  saying  his 
prayers  and  meditations  on  the  way. 
Such  was  Father  John  Storp  with  that 
little  black  chin  whiskers  and  rather 


Page  One.  Hundred  and  Thirty- Si* 


pronounced  Semitic  cast  of  counten- 
ance, the  scholarly  priest  and  exem- 
plary man,  pattern  of  zeal  and  piety, 
uncompromising  of  principle  but  ready 
to  respect  opinions  of  others  though 
they  widely  differed  from  his  own. 

A  violent  attack  of  pneumonia,  con- 
tracted in  a  drafty  railroad  car  when 
coming  from  a  visit  to  St.  Marie, 
ended  the  precious  life  and  useful  ca- 
reer of  one  of  the  peers  of  the  Alton 
diocese  on  February  8,  1902.  He 
sleeps  within  the  shadow  of  the  cross 
in  the  little  cemetery  adjoining  the 
church  in  Green  Creek.  The  congre- 
gation he  loved  so  well  together  with 


his  clerical  friends  deeply  mourn  his 
untimely  departure. 

Let  me  adapt  the  following  beauti- 
ful lines  to  our  departed  friend, 
Father  John  Storp: 

Sleep,    gentle    priest,    the   way   was    long    and 

sad 

y™  mark  of  pain  rests  on  thy  marble  brow; 
Tlly  shadowy  form  in  priestly  vestments  clad 
Unsoiled  by  thee.  Death  was  a  sweet  release 

Slumber  in  peace! 

Closed   is   thy   book   of   life,   .never   again 
To  ope.    And  tho'    its  leaves  were  not  a   few 
Each  page  is  fair — without  a  blot   or  stain 
To  mar  its  sheen.     Death  was  a  sweet  release. 

Slumber  in  peace! 
Sleep    on,    O    priest    of    God!    thy    cross    laid 

down — 

A   brilliant   trophy   at   thy    Master's   feet; 
He   will  reward  thee  with   a   saintly   crown — 
Death  was  to  thee  nought  but  a  sweet  release. 

Slumber  in  peace ! 


REV.  JAMES  STREMLER,  D.D.,  LL.D. 


"The  way  is  long  and  dreary, 
The  path  is  bleak  and  bare'1. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixties  the 
Cleveland  Diocesan  Seminary  was 
presided  over  by  a  brilliant,  gifted 
man,  he  was  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Stremler.  In 
1870,  however,  this  same  Seminary 
Rector  offered  his  services  to  our 
diocese.  They  were  promptly  ac- 
cepted and  Father  Stremler  was  en- 


trusted with  the  care  of  the  parish 
of  Mattoon,  which  just  then  had  'been 
made  vacant  by  the  resignation  ot 
Father  Mangan.  About  one  year  he 
managed  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
affairs  of  Mattoon,  when  on  Dec.  11, 
1870,  the  Bishop  appointed  him  pastor 
of  the  Vandalia  parish,  which  place  he 
held  till  July,  1872.  Further  particu- 
lars of  our  Doctor  are  lacking. 


REV.  JOHN  H.  STUEBE. 


"This  life  is  worth  but  little  save 
To  gain  a  home  beyond  the  grave." 

Secluded  Okawville,  in  Washington 
county,  has  in  recent  years  sprung  in- 
to public  notice  from  the  fact  that  its 


humble  young  pastor  was  selected  by 
the  Holy  See  to  occupy  the  episcopal 
chair  of  the  Diocese  of  Belleville, 
made  vacant  by  the  death  of  Bishop 
Janssen.  Okawville  is  s  o  m  e  w  h  a  t 


known  to  the  surrounding  counties  for 
its  health-giving  springs,  producing  a 
mineral  water  that  is  said  to  be  a  sure 
cure  for  gout  and  rheumatism.  This 
same  Okawville,  which  gave  a  Bishop 
to  Belleville,  has  likewise  given  a 
priest  to  Alton,  Rev.  John  H.  Stuebe, 
late  pastor  of  St.  Clare's  parish  of 
Altamont. 

Deceased  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Christian  Stuebe  and  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth, nee  Bergkoetter.  He  was  ush- 
ered into  the  world  March  6.  1873. 
When  eighteen  years  old  he  entered 
St.  Francis  College  of  Quincy,  for  he 
had  determined  to  dedicate  his  life 
to  God  and  his  fellow-men.  Since 
early  childhood  the  thought  of  becom- 
ing a  priest  had  been  uppermost  in 
his  mind.  Finishing  the  prescribed 
classical  course  at  St.  Francis  Col- 
lege, young  Stuebe  thereupon  became 
an  alumnus  of  St.  Mary's  Seminary, 
(Price  Hill)  Cincinnati.  March  2, 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Seven 


1901,  our  young  candidate  for  Holy 
Orders  saw  his  fondest  hopes  realized, 
for  on  that  day  he  was  ordained  a 
priest  by  Rt.  Rev.  Camillus  Maes  in 
the  Cathedral  of  Covington,  Ky. 

Having  filled  various  appointments 
as  an  assistant  priest,  such  as  St. 
Patrick's,  Decatur,  St.  John's  Hospi- 
tal of  Springfield,  and  St.  Mary's  of 
Quincy,  Father  Stuebe  was  appointed 
to  the  charge  of  St.  Charles'  congre- 
gation at  Altamont,  January  9,  1903. 
During  the  nine  years  of  splendid 
pastoral  work  at  Altamont  he  proved 
himself  a  power  for  good  and  had 


caused  a  new  church  to  be  built  al 
St.  Elmo,  a  mission  attached  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  pastor  of  Alta- 
mont. In  the  midst  of  his  active  and 
fruitful  life,  however,  our  hard-work- 
ing young  pastor  was  suddenly  strick- 
en with  appendicitis,  was  at  once 
rushed  to  St.  Anthony's  Hospital  of 
Effingham  and  there  underwent  a 
surgical  operation  from  the  effects 
and  shock  of  which  he  soon  expired, 
June  2,  1912.  After  solemn  funeral 
services  his  remains  were  interred  in 
St.  Barbara's  cemetery  of  Okawville, 
his  native  town.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  JOHN  SULLIVAN. 


'  'Yearning    for    a    deeper    peace,    not    known 
before.' ' 

He  was  a  native  of  County  Limer- 
ick, Ireland,  and  a  subject  of  Arch- 
bishop Kenrick  of  St.  Louis.  The 
erection  of  the  present  spacious  St. 
Malachy's  church  of  St.  Louis,  is  the 
result  of  Father  Sullivan's  efforts 
while  pastor  of  that  congregation. 
Coming  to  the  Alton  diocese  in  1865, 
he  was  appointed  to  Marshall  and 
some  time  later  to  the  charge  of 
Paris  in  April  1866-April  1867.  Whilst 
at  Marshall  and  Paris  he  looked  like- 
wise after  the  spiritual  interests  of 
the  Catholics  who  lived  in  and  around 
Charleston.  In  1867-'68  Father  Sulli- 
van acted  as  rector  of  St.  Francis 


Xavier's  church  of  Jerseyville.  During 
his  incumbency  he  started  the  build- 
ing of  the  present  church,  a  large  and 
solid  structure.  Before  he  saw  it  com- 
pleted, however,  he  became  involved 
in  financial  difficulties  from  which  the 
young  struggling  parish  knew  not  how 
to  free  itself.  His  successor,  Father 
Harty,  proved  himself  the  man  of  the 
hour.  Father  Sullivan  was  sent  to 
Springfield  as  pastor  of  the  Immacu- 
late Conception  church.  He  suc- 
ceeded Father  Louis  Hinssen.  The 
newly  appointed  pastor  enjoyed  his 
stay  at  Springfield  but  a  short  while, 
for  in  the  following  year,  1869,  Father 
Sullivan  died.  He  was  buried  in  the 
Springfield  cemetery.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   FRANCIS   TECKLENBURG. 


Every   thought   was   full   of   grace, 

Pure  and  true ; 

And  a  heavenly  radiance  bright, 
From  the  soul's  reflected  light 

Shining  through. 

God  in  His  infinite  wisdom  and 
mercy  saw  fit  to  call  from  hence  a 
promising  young  priest  in  the  flowery 
springtime  of  his  sacerdotal  career.  It 
was  the  end  of  May,  1879,  when  Rev. 
Francis  Tecklenburg  succumbed  to  the 
oppressive  heat  of  the  season  and 
after  a  few  days'  sickness  died  a  well 
prepared  death.  Parishioners  of  two 
congregations  which  the  departed  had 
served  so  well,  namely,  Bethalto  and 
Mitchell,  knelt  in  deep  sorrow  over 
the  untimely  death  of  their  beloved 
young  pastor  around  his  bier  and  of- 


fered fervent  prayers  for  the  repose 
of  his  soul.  To  all,  clergy  and  laity, 
this  tragic  event  was  an  eloquent 
"Memento  Mori."  How  deeply  the 
young  priest  had  endeared  himself  in 
the  affections  of  the  people  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  today  after  so  many 
years  his  memory  is  still  kept  alive 
and  many  of  the  older  people  love  to 
recount  his  kindly  acts. 

Rev.  Francis  Tecklenburg  was  a 
native  of  Germany,  born  in  May,  1851, 
at  Auenshausen,  Westfalia.  His  clas- 
sical studies  the  young  student  pur- 
sued partly  at  Warburg  and  partly  at 
Paderborn,  graduating  in  1873,  Having 
determined  upon  the  vocation  that 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Eight 


ultimately  leads  to  the  steps  of  the 
altar,  the  talented  young  aspirant 
matriculated  the  following  year  at 
the  University  of  Muenster  and  a  year 
later  at  that  of  Wuerzburg.  For  the 
theological  studies  and  the  more  im- 
mediate preparation  for  Holy  Orders 
he  became  an  alumnus  of  the  Ameri- 
can College  of  Louvain,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  which  he  was  ordained  in 
the  Cathedral  of  Malines,  May  27, 
1877.  In  September  of  that  year  the 
young  priest  landed  at  Alton  and  was 
assigned  at  once  to  the  parish  of 
Bethalto  where  soon  he  erected  a 
parochial  residence,  thus  becoming 
the  first  resident  pastor  of  the  place. 
Mitchell  was  then  affiliated  to  Bethal- 
to and  depended  on  his  services. 
After  less  than  two  years  faithful  labor 
young  Father  Tecklenburg  was  sum- 
moned by  death.  He  lies  buried  in 
St.  Mary's  cemetery  of  Alton.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   DENIS  TIERNEY. 


"Jesu,    Tibi    sit    Gloria". 

He  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  young 
congregation  of  Charleston  in  1865. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  the  congrega- 
tion purchased  an  edifice,  used  as  a 
Christian  church,  for  hitherto  Mass 
had  been  said  in  a  private  house. 


Father  Tierney  remained  in  Charles- 
ton till  1868,  when  the  church  was  con- 
sumed by  fire.  We  next  find  him, 
from  1869-70,  pastor  of  the  parish  of 
Virden,  after  which  further  informa- 
tion fails. 


REV.   AUGUSTINE  TOLTON. 


"Back,    ye   Phantoms,    leave 
O  leave  me 
To  my  new  and  happy  lot'". 

The  unique  and  enviable  distinction 
of  having  had  within  the  ranks  and 
membership  of  her  diocesan  clergy 
the  first  colored  priest  in  the  United 
States,  belongs  to  the  diocese  of 
Alton.  Of  this  fact  the  credit  of 
whose  accomplishment  primarily  be- 
longs to  the  efforts  of  Rev.  P.  Michael 
Richard,  O.  F.  M.,  and  the  late  Father 
McGirr,  of  St.  Peter's  church  of 
Quincy,  we  all  have  reason  to  be 
proud.  He  who  thus  successfully 
emerged  from  the  lowly  condition  of 
the  black  man,  who  had  been  born  and 
raised  in  bondage  and  slavery  under 
most  trying  and  adverse  conditions, 
became  an  ornament  to  his  priestly 
vocation,  winning  his  way  to  the 


hearts  of  the  Catholic  people  and  gain- 
ing the  esteem  and  benevolence  of  all 
by  his  unassuming  manner  and  humble 
and  devout  bearing.  He  cared  not 
what  people,  white  or  black,  might 
think  of  him;  he  knew  his  duty  as 
priest  and  hence  could  not  be  swerved 
from  its  path  by  any  considerations  of 
popular  favor  or  disfavor.  All  liked 
and  loved  him.  The  services  were  at 
all  times  well  patronized  not  only  by 
his  own  colored  people  but  also  large- 
ly by  whites,  so  much  so  that  this 
even  aroused  a  bit  of  jealousy  and 
envy  in  the  neighborhood.  The  little 
frame  church,  St.  Joseph's,  on  7th  and 
Jersey  streets,  now  a  tinner's  shop, 
had  risen  in  popular  favor  through- 
out Quincy,  It  received  generous 
support  and  assistance  from  clergy 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Nine 


and  laity  and  the  good  colored  priest 
was  forever  grateful  for  the  aid  thus 
rendered  his  poor  people  and  congre- 
gation. 

Father  Augustine  Tolton,  for  such 
was  our  distinguished  colored  priest's 
name,  was  a  man  of  education  and  di- 


verse rare  attainments,  speaking  be- 
sides his  own  language,  Latin,  Ger- 
man and  Italian.  After  graduating 
from  St.  Peter's  parochial  school  and 
St.  Francis  College  with  honors,  the 
Franciscan  Fathers,  through  the  good 
offices  of  their  Superior  General  in 
Rome,  obtained  for  our  poor  negro 
aspirant  a  place  at  the  Propaganda. 
They  had  perceived  the  latent  fine 
talents  and  qualities  which  the  young 
man  possessed.  Here  in  Rome,  the 
fountain  head  of  Catholicity  and  the 
seat  of  learning,  our  Propaganda 
student  prosecuted  his  theological 
studies  with  great  diligence  and  appli- 
cation, evidencing  the  fact  that  where 
a  proper  share  of  attention  is  cen- 
tered upon  the  education  of  the 
colored  people,  they  can  soon  be 
lifted  to  a  high  plane  of  intelligence 
and  responsibility.  Some  of  our  best 


missionary  talent  trained  for  the 
specific  purpose  in  the  newly  founded 
"Josephite  House"  of  Baltimore,  is  ex- 
clusively devoted  to  the  cause  of  the 
American  negro.  One  can  point  with 
justifiable  pride  to  many  illustrious 
men  who  have  gone  forth  from  the 
lowly  ranks  of  the  colored  people,  the 
greatest  of  whom  was  undoubtedly 
the  late  Booker  Washington,  a  man 
of  national  repute,  a  great  educator 
and  leader  of  his  people,  born  and 
raised  a  poor,  despised  negro.  When 
given  proper  attention  and  placed 
amid  wholesome  influences  and  moral 
surroundings,  the  colored  people  are 
able  to  compete  with  their  more  for- 
tunate white  brethern  in  the  attain- 
ment of  honor  and  distinction.  Father 
Tolton  has  demonstrated  this  fact 
whilst  studying  for  the  priesthood  in 
Rome,  and  subsequently  as  priest  of 
Quincy  and  Chicago.  His  studies 
completed,  Father  Tolton  was  or- 
dained a  priest  by  His  Eminence, 
Cardinal  Parochi,  April  24,  1886.  The 
first  colored  young  man  of  the  United 
States  out  of  ten  million  negroes,  a 
priest.  What  a  joyous  and  happy 
event  for  the  Diocese  whose  product 
he  was,  what  a  memorable  and  im- 
portant fact  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  in  these  United  States  which 
had  worked  among  the  colored  race 
with  but  varied  success. 

Father  Tolton  at  once  came  back  to 
Quincy,  where  he  said  his  first  Holy 
Mass  at  St:  Boniface  church,  July  18, 
1886,  and  was  given  charge  of  the 
small  negro  parish,  the  history  of 
which  is  briefly  told  as  follows: 

After  the  Civil  War  (1861-1865) 
many  former  negro  slaves,  a  number 
of  whom  were  Catholics,  settled  in 
Quincy.  To  prevent  their  drifting 
away  from  the  church,  the  Rev. 
Michael  Richard,  O.  F.  M.,  undertook 
to  collect  the  scattered  sheep,  if 
possible,  into  a  separate  parish.  The 
pastor  of  St.  Boniface,  Rev.  John 
Janssen,  placed  a  former  small  pro- 
testant  church  on  Seventh  and  Jersey 
streets,  purchased  in  1866  by  Father 
Schaefermeyer  for  $7,000,  which  was 
temporarily  used  for  school  purposes 
but  vacant  at  the  time,  at  P.  Michael's 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty 


disposal.  A  Sunday  school  was  be- 
gun Oct.  21,  1877.  The  attendance 
was  good  and  kept  on  increasing. 
Ven.  Sister  Herline  of  St.  Mary's 
Academy,  on  February  11,  1878, 
opened  a  day  school  with  21  pupils. 
This  number  increased  to  60.  The 
baptism  of  seven  negro  children  April 
22,  following,  caused  a  protest  by 
Methodists  and  Baptists.  No  stone 
was  left  unturned  to  prevent  the  negro 
children  from  attending,  many  of 
whom  stayed  away  Several  of  the 
priests,  such  as  Bruener,  Hoffman  and 
Samuel  Macke,  kept  up  the  good  work 
until  the  coming  of  Father  Tolton 
from  Rome  in  1886.  How  successful 
this  colored  priest  worked  among  the 
members  of  his  own  race — and  among 
the  white  people  likewise — has  been 
stated.  His  services  were  in  demand 
everywhere,  even  Cardinal  Gibbons 
summoned  him  repeatedly  to  Balti- 
more, there  to  preach  and  minister 
to  the  numerous  colored  population. 
He  was  a  great  lover  of  his  snuff- 
box. In  Chicago  a  philanthropic 
wealthy  lady,  Mrs  Anne  O'Neil,  es- 
tablished a  $10,000  fund  for  the  found- 
ing of  a  church,  St.  Monica's,  for  the 
use  of  .the  colored  people.  Nobody, 
however,  would  do  but  Father  Tol- 
ton. In  consequence  the  Archbishop 
requisitioned  his  services,  Bishop 


Ryan  consented  to  his  transfer  to 
Chicago  and  "Father  Gus"  as  he  was 
familiarly  styled  by  m  any  of  his 
clerical  friends  moved  to  that  Babel 
by  the  Lake  Shore,  on  Nov.  28,  1889. 
Everything  went  well  with  new  St. 
Monica's.  The  parish  was  in  a  fair 
way  of  developing  when  our  dusky 
Reverend  friend  took  sick  and  soon 
afterwards  died  July  9,  1897,  a  sun- 
stroke claimed  him.  Father  Tolton's 
remains  were  brought  back  to  Quincy 
and  buried  in  the  Priest's  lot  in  St. 
Peter's  cemetery.  He  attained  the 
age  of  but  43  years  having  been  born 
at  Brush  Creek,  Rails  county,  Mo.,  on 
April  1,  1854.  His  parents  were 
Peter  Tolton  and  Martha  Chisely, 
they  moved  to  Quincy  in  1861. 

What  became  of  St.  Joseph's  colored 
parish  of  Quincy  after  the  transfer 
of  its  pastor  to  Chicago?  The  shep- 
herd being  gone  and  none  to  replace 
him,  it  died  of  inanition.  Many  of  the 
Catholic  negroes  moved  away,  others 
returned  to  the  Methodists  and  Bap- 
tists, the  church  edifice  was  sold  and 
serves  today  as  tin-shop.  There  are 
not  a  half  dozen  colored  Catholics,  if 
any,  left  in  Quincy,  out  of  a  popula- 
tion of  about  3,000  or  more.  Sad  in- 
deed! God  speed  the  day  when  again 
a  colored  Catholic  parish  shall  be- 
come an  actuality  in  Quincy. 


REV.   FRANCIS   TROJAN. 


"Within   thy  Savior's  Heart, 
Place   all   thy   care, 
And  learn,  O  weary  soul, 
Thy   Best   is   there'1. 

Rev.  Francis  Trojan  was  born  and 
ordained  a  priest  in  Europe.  He  was 
a  Bohemian  by  birth  and  hence  his 
first  appointment  was  that  of  assistant 
to  the  pastor  of  St.  John'  Nepomuk 
church,  St.  Louis,  a  Bohemian  parish 
From  St.  Louis  our  deceased  priest 
came  to  the  Alton  Diocese  and  was 


assigned  to  Paderborn  in  1864,  Free- 
burg  1865-'68,  Millstadt  1868-71  and 
to  Collinsville  1871-79,  after  which  he 
was  transferred  to  Lebanon,  leaving 
the  field  to  his  successor,  Rev.  H. 
Degenhardt. 

At  Lebanon  Father  Trojan's  life 
came  to  an  end  in  1881.  He  was 
buried  in  the  parish  cemetery  of  Le- 
banon. Defunct  is  known  to  have 
been  a  fine  musician.  R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and_Forty-On 


REV.   HILARY   TUCKER. 


After  having  been  attended  as  one 
flock  by  Father  Lefevre,  the  future 
Bishop  of  Detroit,  from  1833-1837,  the 
Catholics  of  Quincy  found  themselves 
divided,  the  German  speaking  under 
their  resident  pastor,  Rev.  A.  Brick- 
wedde,  and  the  English  speaking 
under  Rev.  Irenaeus  St.  Cyr,  residing 
at  St.  Louis  and  afterwards  at  St. 
Augustine.  In  1839  Rev.  Hilary 
Tucker,  a  native  Missourian,  who  had 
been  sent  together  with  Rev.  Geo.  A. 
Hamilton,  by  Bishop  Rosatti  to  Rome, 
there  to  prepare  themselves  for  the 
priesthood,  became  the  resident  priest 
of  the  English  speaking  people  of 
Quincy.  This  was  his  first  appoint- 
ment since  ordination.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  Father  Tucker  succeeded  in 
collecting  the  sum  of  $2,000  in  cash, 
obtaining  from  Mr.  Whitney,  a  con- 
vert, a  corner  lot  for  building  pur- 
poses, erected  a  church  under  the 


patronage  of  St.  Lawrence,  with  the 
hope  of  having  it  ready  for  divine 
services  by  the  feast  of  the  Assump- 
tion. Unfortunately  the  Northern 
Cross  railroad  for  the  construction  of 
which  many  Irish  laborers  had  gath- 
ered at  Qunicy,  became  bankrupt  and 
with  it  the  building  of  the  church. 
The  same  was  sold  under  the  hammer 
before  its  completion,  but  afterwards 
secured  for  the  use  of  the  congrega- 
tion. 

Father  Hilary  Tucker  remained  in 
Quincy  for  seven  yeears,  from  1839- 
1846,  then  for  some  years  went  to 
Chicago  and  Batavia,  and  ultimately 
he  and  Father  G.  A.  Hamilton,  whose 
headquarters  were  then  at  Springfield, 
both  left  for  the  East,  joining  the 
clergy  of  the  Boston  diocese.  Father 
Tucker  died  at  Boston  as  pastor  of 
one  of  that  city's  parishes  and  there 
he  found  his  last  resting  place.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   JULIAN   TURMEL. 


"And  angel  voices 
Shall  ring  in  heavenly  chant 
Upon   thine    ear". 

When  Father  Turmel  was  privi- 
leged to  look  back  upon  a  long,  well- 
spent  life  as  priest  in  God's  vineyard, 
he  retired  from  active  work  to  spend 
some  time  in  the  seclusion  of  St. 
John's  Hospital,  Springfield,  after 
which  he  wended  his  steps  westward 
to  seek  the  invigorating  climate 
among  the  Colorado  Rockies.  There 
his  eventful  career  came  to  an  end 
on  January  12,  1910. 

Father  Turmel  assumed  charge  of 
the  rectorship  of  the  Shelbyville  con- 
gregation in  1865,  becoming  thereby 
its  first  resident  pastor.  From  1870- 
73  he  is  made  rector  of  the  Pana 
parish,  by  which  he  likewise  became 
the  first  resident  priest  of  that  place. 
Whilst  stationed  at  Pana,  he  under- 
took the  extension  of  the  church 
building,  constructed  a  room  in  con- 
junction with  the  church  where  he 
lived  and  even  for  short  while  opened 
a  school.  During  the  Pana  pastorate 
he  turned  his  attention  to  promising 
Xokomis,  where  in  1871,  the  people 


had  resolved  on  building  a  church 
and  had  the  work  actually  done  that 
same  year.  St.  Louis,  King  of  France, 
became  the  patron  of  the  mission,  no 
doubt  from  the  fact  that  Fatner  Julian 
Turmel,  the  pastor  of  the  church  was 
a  native  of  Brittany,  France.  As  the 
people  were  mostly  from  Ireland,  "a 
tempest  in  a  tea-kettle"  arose  on  that 
score.  The  Bishop  was  repeatedly 
petitioned  that  he  take  St.  Louis  off 
the  Nokomis  pedestal  and  have  him 
superceded  by  St.  Patrick.  Their 
singular  request,  however,  was 
promptly  turned  down.  In  1874 
Father  Turmel  was  transferred  to  the 
parish  of  Winchester,  where  in  a 
quiet,  unostentatious  manner  he  con- 
tinued his  good  offices  for  thirteen 
years,  till  1887,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  time  he  petitioned  for  permis- 
sion to  retire  from  pastoral  duty, 
which  request  was  graciously  acceded 
to. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  meet  Father 
Turmel;  his  personality  was  magnetic, 
his  ways  simple  and  unaffected,  hence 
a  host  of  friends  surrounded  him. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty- TV 


REV.   ALBERT  A.   ULRICH. 


'  'Who  this  life  for  Jesus  give 
Through  eternity  shall  live". 

Within  the  space  of  few  years  pro- 
saic Calhoun  county  sustained  in 
rather  rapid  succession  the  loss  of 
some  of  her  eminent  priests.  To. 
those  who  were  claimed  by  inexorable 
death  must  be  added  the  name  of  one 


who  at  all  times  has  proved  himself 
a  valiant  champion  of  the  cross,  who 
was  an  able  and  ardent  exponent  of 
the  faith,  a  zealous  priest  and  ripe 
scholar;  it  is  the  name  of  Rev.  Albert 
A.  Ulrich,  the  quondam  pastor  of  St. 
Anselm's  church.  In  this  country 
parish,  our  subject  felt  rather  handi- 
capped from  being  unable  to  properly 
utilize  his  accumulated  store  of 
knowledge  or  to  accomplish  results 
for  which  he  was  eminently  qualified. 
Proof  of  his  abilities  and  brilliant  at- 
tainments is  couched  in  the  fact  that 
prior  to  his  advent  into  our  diocese, 
Father  Ulrich  had  been  for  years  pro- 
fessor of  sciences  at  the  Jesuit  Col- 
lege of  Woodstock,  where  most  suc- 
cessfully he  occupied  the  chair  of 
chemistry.  In  the  pulpit  he  was  most 
eloquent,  hence  his  superiors  had  sent 
him  frequently  as  missionary  into 
various  eastern  cities  to  conduct  mis- 
sions and  give  retreats  to  large  com- 
munities of  men  and  women.  In  this 


connection  it  is  pertinent  to  state  that 
our  deceased  priest  had  for  many 
years  been  a  member  of  the  Society 
of  Jesus,  which,  however,  he  had  left 
shortly  before  joining  the  clergy  force 
of  Alton.  He  was  of  a  very  sunny 
disposition,  full  of  amiability  and  good 
cheer,  a  splendid  conversationalist  and 
a  man  of  mature  judgment.  Having 
acted  for  awhile  as  assistant  to  the 
pastor  of  Marshall,  the  Bishop  soon 
appointed  him  pastor  to  Rampsville, 
made  vacant  by  the  transfer  of  Rev. 
J.  A.  Duval  to  Staunton. 

Rev.  Father  Albert  A.  Ulrich  was  a 
native  of  Breslau,  Germany,  born 
March  1,  1858.  His  classical  studies 
finished,  he  came  to  America  to  enter 
the  Novitiate  of  the  Jesuit  Order  at 
Woodstock,  Maryland,  where  in  due 
course  of  time  he  was  ordained  priest 
June  26,  1885.  He  proved  himself  a 
valuable  member  of  the  community, 
success  attending  his  strenuous  ef- 
forts in  the  various  fields  of  labor  and 
usefulness  to  which  the  voice  of  his 
superiors  called  him.  In  1902  Father 
Ulrich  severed  connection  with  the 
Order,  came  west  and  was  admitted 
into  the  Alton  Diocese,  where  he 
worked  most  zealously  for  souls  for 
more  than  six  years,  especially  as 
pastor  of  Kampsville  and  the  out- 
mission  Belleview.  The  latter  place 
he  attended  faithfully  once  a  month, 
making  a  drive  of  16  miles  Sunday 
mornings  after  having  said  early  Mass 
at  Kampsville.  Finally  succumbing 
to  a  very  painful,  lingering  disease, 
he  died  well  prepared,  at  St.  Anthony's 
hospital  of  St.  Louis,  Wednesday, 
March  24,  1909.  The  funeral  took 
place  at  Kampsville  the  following 
Monday,  March  29,  at  which  his  suc- 
cessor in  office,  Rev.  Father  Neveling 
was  celebrant  of  the  Mass,  assisted 
by  Revs.  A.  Schockaert.  of  Grafton, 
and  Joseph  Kopp,  of  Hardin,  whilst 
Revs.  J.  Duval,  of  Staunton  and  J.  B. 
Wand,  of  Meppen,  delivered  the  Eng- 
lish resp.  German  funeral  orations. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Foryt-Three 


REV.  JOSEPH   VAHEY. 


"In  life  and  death  we  call  on  the  Star  of  the 
Sea' '. 

An  intellectual  man  of  great  literary 
attainments,  a  known  writer  of  ability, 
.whose  name  had  become  familiar  to 
the  world  of  letters  and  education  was 
Father  Valey.  His  treatise  on  "Men- 
tal Philosophy"  had  given  him  a  wide 
reputation.  He  occupied  some  of  the 
foremost  parishes  in  Wisconsin, 
among  them  Madison,  and  built  St. 
Patrick's  church  of  Milwaukee. 

Father  Valey  was  for  some  years 
a  missionary  priest  in  Iowa  and  Cen- 
tral Illinois,  and  amongst  other  places 


he  occupied  in  this  state  and  diocese 
were  that  of  Paris  in  1862  and  Van- 
dalia  from  April  12,  1863-December  3, 
1866. 

When  the  evening  of  life  had  set 
in,  Father  Vahey  retired  to  Elkhorn 
Wisconsin.  There  he  peacefully  ex- 
pired and  his  remains  were  buried 
there.  Whilst  defunct  was  located  at 
Paris  he  built  a  plain  frame  church 
and  cottage  along  the  railroad  track 
and  west  of  the  town,  too  far  away 
to  be  comfortable  and  convenient  of 
access.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  ANTHONY  VOGT. 


"The   precious    souls    for   whom   his   life   was 

spent, 
The    souls   he    sought  and1  warred   for   night 

and   day, 

Now  sheltered  in  the   everlasting   arms. 
Ah!  this  his  crown  exceeding  great  shall  be 
Throughout  the  cycles  of  eternity." 

St.  Patrick's  of  Decatur  owes  to  a 
great  extent  its  present  flourishing 
condition  to  the  disinterested  and  un- 
selfish labors  of  Rev.  Anthony  Vogt, 
who  ruled  over  that  parish  from 
1857-70.  Not  minimizing  nor  de- 
tracting from  the  merits  and  achieve- 
ments of  his  successors  such  as 
Fathers  Hickey,  Mackin  and  espe- 
cially the  wonderful  progress  made 
under  its  present  pastor,  Rev.  J. 
Murphy,  yet  it  remains  true  that  all 
this  advancement  was  built  more  or 
less  upon  that  solid  foundation  which 
was  placed  there  during  eleven  years 
faithful  service  by  deceased.  A  neo- 
presbyster  he  was  sent  thither.  His 
heart  was  aglow  with  that  divine  ar- 
dor and  holy  enthusiasm  of  a  young 
priest  who  counts  obstacles  and  re- 
verses as  insignificant.  Ceaselessly  he 
planned  and  worked  out  the  prob- 
lems which  confronted  him.  And 
success  crowned  his  efforts.  The 
small  church  which  had  been  built  in 
the  early  days  of  the  existence  of 
the  congregation  by  Father  Cusack, 
was  soon  replaced  by  a  substantial 
brick  church  with  residence  adjoining. 
From  St.  Patrick's  as  center,  radiated 
Father  Vogt's  activities  in  many  direc- 
tions. All  surrounding  towns  and 
hamlets  experienced  his  priestly  func- 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Four 


tions  and  ministrations.  He  attended 
the  missions  of  Shelbyvilje,  Macon, 
Marrowbone,  Moweaqua  and  Bement, 
Ivesdale,  Monticello,  Cerro-Gordo, 
Illiopolis,  Buffalo,  Blue  Mound  and 
Stonington.  In  1870  he  was  replaced 
by  Father  R.  Welsh  (who  died  in 
1874.)  He  was  appointed  pastor  of 
Macon,  where  in  1867,  he  had  erected 
a  church  in  honor  of  St.  Stanislaus. 
This  church  was  blown  down  by  a 
cyclone.  Father  Vogt  went  again  to 
work,  this  time  putting  up  a  brick 
church.  It  was  no  sooner  built  than 
it  too  was  destroyed  by  a  cyclone. 
Without  losing  courage,  however,  he 
set  to  work  a  third  time  to  build  a 
church  in  his  Macon  parish.  This 
church  stands  to  the  present  day,  al- 
though somewhat  enlarged,  to  ac- 
commodate the  growing  members  of 
the  parish  by  the  late  Father  Maurer. 
From  Macon  he  moved  to  Litchfield 
in  1873,  where  his  stay  lasted  but  one 
year,  till  1874.  Ruma  was  the  next 
parish.  Here  deceased  was  its  pastor 
for  almost  20  years  until  his  transfer 
to  the  Glen  Addie  Orphanage  near 
Belleville,  some  few  months  previous 
to  his  death,  May  25,  1903. 

Rev.  Anthony  Vogt  was  born 
November  29,  1832,  at  Lohne  in  Olden- 
burg, studied  at  Notre  Dame,  Ind., 
St.  Thomas,  Ky.,  and  Mt.  St.  Mary's 
Cincinnati,  and  was  raised  to  the 
priesthood  by  Bishop  Juncker  at 
Alton,  May  3,  1859.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  SYLVESTER  WEGENER. 


During  the  years  when  priestly  fer- 
vor animated  the  action  of  Rev.  S. 
Wegener,  they  were  productive  of 
good  results,  Collinsville  (1867-77), 
Paris  (1871-73)  St.  Marie  (1873-74) 
Beardstown  (1876-77,)  testify  to  his 
zeal.  After  his  ordination  in  1866, 
being  stationed  in  East  St.  Louis,  he 
attended  Collinsville  as  out-mission 
for  awhile.  It  was  during  this  period 


that  he  purchased  there  a  residence 
adjoining  the  church  with  a  large  plot 
of  ground  for  the  sum  of  $3,000. 
Whilst  at  Paris  he  built  a  church  at 
Charlestovvn,  in  1872. 

Rev.  Sylvester  Wegener  was  born 
at  Paderborn,  April  29,  1833;  ordained 
to  the  priesthood,  November  22,  1864, 
having  come  to  this  country  in  1856. 
He  died  in  Chicago.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  ROMAN   WEINZAEPFLE. 


"My   fate   is   in   Thy   hands, 
Whatever  it  may  be 
Pleasant  or  painful,  bright  or  dark, 
As  best  may  seem  to  Thee1'. 

With  what  diabolical  rage  and  fury 
Knownothingism  assailed  the  church, 
her  institutions  and  clergy,  about  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  is  well 
known.  Its  history  among  the  vic- 
tims against  whom  the  venemous 
darts  and  false  accusations  were  direc- 
ted reached  its  climax  in  one  who  was 
hounded  until  the  prison  doors  closea 
behind  him,  namely,  Rev.  K  o  m  a  n 
Weinzaefel.  Though  entirely  ignorant 
and  innocent  of  a  crime  they  had  ac- 
cused him  of,  nevertheless,  this  worthy 


young  priest  had  to  wear  the  convict's 
garb  for  five  years  at  the  Jefferson- 
ville,  Ind.,  state  prison,  until  pardoned 
by  President  Polk.  He  was  a  priest  of 
the  Vincennes  diocese,  and  as  such 
was  sent  to  Teutopolis  in  1845,  where 
he  performed  his  duties  in  most  ex- 
cellent and  praiseworthy  manner. 
Shortly  after  his  release  he  entered 
the  Benedictine  Order,  celebrated  his 
Golden  Jubilee  in  1890,  and  died  a 
pious  death  in  1895. 

Rev.  Roman  Weinzaefel  was  a 
native  of  Strassburg  in  Elsace,  born 
April  15,  1813,  and  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  April  5,  1840.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.  MICHAEL  WEIS. 


"How  many  a  tranquil  soul  has  passed  away 
Fled   gladly   from    fierce   pain   and   pleasures 

dim 

To  the  eternal  splendor  of  the  day; 
And    many    a    troubled    heart    still    calls    for 
him : 

'The   Angel    Death'." 

An  informal  gathering  of  Church 
trustees  and  choir  members  took 
place  at  the  St.  Boniface  rectory  on 
the  evening  of  November  10,  1887, 
occasioned  by  the  pastor's  namesday, 
Rev.  Theodore  Bruener.  Whilst  the 
generous  host  entertained  his  visitors 
he  made  known  to  them  his  future 
intentions,  namely;  that  he  was  to 
leave  them  even  that  very  evening 
for  the  purpose  of  joining  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order  at  Teutopolis,  at  same 
time  introducing  the  new  pastor  to 
them,  Rev.  Michael  Weis,  who  had 
arrived  in  the  meantime.  Father 
Bruener  set  out  that  very  night  for 
Teutopolis,  assumed  the  habit  of  St. 


Francis    and    was    henceforth    known 
as  Father  Leo,  O.  F.  M. 

Father  Weis,  the  seventh  pastor  of 
St.  Boniface,  was  born  in  Bavaria,  in 
the  town  of  Nuerbach,  June  8,  1838, 
the  oldest  of  nine  children,  seven 
boys  and  two  girls.  At  the  age  of 
thirteen  the  family  came  to  America, 
landing  in  New  York.  For  the  first 
five  years  Mrchael  was  employed  as 
a  farm  hand  near  New  York,  when 
the  family  moved  to  Teutopolis,  where 
he  continued  to  follow  the  same  oc- 
cupation at  the  same  time  devoting 
all  his  spare  moments  to  useful  study. 
After  a  short  time  he  was  engaged 
as  teacher  in  the  public  school  of  Teu- 
topolis and  after  one  year  he  took  a 
similar  position  in  St.  Mary's  Catholic 
school  of  Edwardsville,  remaining  two 
years.  Believing  himself  called  to  the 
sacred  ministry,  he  entered  St. 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Five 


Joseph's  College  of  Teutopolis,  where 
he  pursued  his  studies  for  three  years 
and  later  entered  the  Grand  Seminary 


turned  after  some  time  to  become 
chancellor  of  the  diocese,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  till  January  1,  1880,  when 


of  Montreal.  He  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  at  Alton,  April  4,  1868,  and 
at  once  assigned  to  the  parish  of  Van- 
dalia,  where  he  labored  one  year  and 
seven  months.  He  was  next  trans- 
ferred to  Marine  and  a  short  time  later 
to  Effingham,  where  he  remained  five 
years  and  constructed  the  present 
handsome  parish  church,  St.  Antho- 
ny's. In  1877  ill  health  compelled  him 
to  seek  relief  in  California,  but  he  re- 


at  his  own  request,  he  was  sent  to 
Grant  Fork,  and  afterwards  to  Litch- 
field  and  Springfield,  whence  on  No- 
vember 10,  1887,  he  came  to  Qiiincy 
as  pastor  of  St.  Boniface  and  Dean  of 
the  district,  which  double  position  he 
very  creditably  filled  until  his  death, 
which  occured  November  9,  1909.  R. 
I.  P.  (Extract  from  Diamond  Jubilee 
Souvenir  of  St.  Boniface  Congrega- 
tion, 1912.) 


f\S 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Six 


REV.   EDWARD   WELSH. 


"O,   may  God  grant  that  you  may  be 
As  noble  and  as  good  as  he 
As  gentle  and  as  brave". 

A  noble  and  talented  young  priest 
was  Rev.  Edward  Welsh.  Alas!  he 
was  called  away  all  too  soon.  But 


three  years  of  priestly  life  and  the 
Master  summoned  him  to  Himself. 
His  career,  though  short,  was  exem- 
plary and  edifying.  Of  a  sunny  dispo- 


sition, kind  and  forebearing,  young 
Father  Welsh  had  a  host  of  friends 
and  admirers.  His  confreres  of  the 
clergy  regarded  their  young  colleague 
highly.  His  earnestness,  talents  and 
unfeigned  piety,  all  combined  to  make 
his  career  a  promising  one;  hence  his 
premature  loss  was  a  doubly  keen  one. 

Rev.  E.  Welsh  was  born  at  Litch- 
field,  111.,  October  1,  1863,  and  was  the 
son  of  Lawrence  Welsh  and  his  wife 
Catherine,  nee  McNamara.  After  his 
preparatory  studies  he  entered  St. 
Francis  Seminary,  Milwaukee,  but  be- 
fore his  course  was  half  completed, 
Bishop  Baltes  recognizing  the  quali- 
ties of  the  unusually  bright  student, 
sent  him  to  the  American  College  of 
Rome.  There,  in  the  Eternal  City,  he 
was  elevated  to  the  priesthood  on 
June  26.  1888.  Returning  to  the  United 
States,  young  Father  Welsh  was  as- 
signed as  assistant  to  the  Cathedral 
of  Alton,  where  he  worked  with  great 
zeal.  There  he  died  on  July  11,  1891. 
His  remains  were  forwarded  to  Litch- 
field,  where  they  were  interred  in  the 
parish  cemetery  on  July  15. 

May  the  soul  of  dear  Father  Welsh 
rest  in  God's  holy  peace. 


REV.  RICHARD   WELSH. 


A  native  of  Ireland,  he  was  or- 
dained »t  All  Hallows  on  June  24, 
1864.  In  1870  he  became  the  pastor  of 
St.  Patrick's  Decatur,  where  he  per- 


formed good  services  during  the  four 
years  of  incumbency.  He  died  there 
in  1874.  R.  I.  P. 


REV.   BLASIUS   WINTERHALTER. 


'  'It  is  easy  to  die 
When  one's  work  is  done — 
To  pass  from  the  earth 
Like  a  harvest  day's  sun, 
After  opening   the   flowers   and   ripening   the 

grain, 

Round  the  homes  and  the  scenes  where  our 
Friends  remain". 

Calhoun  County,  yea  the  "Kingdom 
of  Calhoun,"  as  the  long,  narrow  fer- 
tile strip  of  land  is  sometimes  called, 
which  lies  between  the  waters  of  two 
of  America's  foremost  rivers,  viz: 
the  imperial  and  majestic  Mississippi, 
and  beautiful  Illinois,  extends  from 
Pike  county  north  down  to  the  con- 


fluence   of    these    rivers    at    Grafton 
above  Alton  south. 

Here  then  in  Calhoun  county  two 
venerable,  apostolic  men  have  de- 
ployed their  physical  and  spiritual 
energies  for  the  benefit  of  their  fellow- 
men;  they  have  left  a  lasting  impress 
not  only  upon  their  own  parishes  of 
Brussels  and  Meppen,  nay  all  Cal- 
houn county  felt  the  beneficial  influ- 
ences which  emenated  from  the  un- 
selfish lives  of  these  worthy  disciples 
of  Christ,  I  refer  to  the  Revs.  Blasius 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Seven 


Winterhalter  and  Francis  E.  Without, 
both  of  whom  departed  this  life  in 
close  succession  a  few  years  ago.  Such 
staunch,  rugged  and  loyal  men  as 
these,  following  quietly  and  cheerfully 
in  the  footprints  of  their  divine  Lord 


and  Master,  were  building  better  than 
they  knew.  And  if  ever  a  marble  shaft 
were  to  be  erected  as  a  monument 
and  token  to  the  heroic  deeds  of  any 
of  our  Diocesan  pioneer  priests,  I 
would  know  of  none  worthier  or  more 
deserving  of  such  honor  than  these 
two  rugged  men  of  Calhoun  county, 
Revs.  Winterhalter  and  Without,  the 
former  remaining  36  years  uninter- 
rupted at  his  post  of  duty  and  the 
latter  38  years. 

May  these  two  grand  old  men  who 
forever  will  be  looked  up  to  as  bright 
and  shining  models  of  priestly  sacri- 
fices and  self  denials  by  their  surviv- 
ing confreres  rest  in  God's  holy  peace. 

Rev.  Blasius  Winterhalter,  a  native 
of  Baden,  was  born  at  St.  Peter  in 
the  Archdiocese  of  Freiburg  on  the 


29th  day  of  January,  1833.  Having 
made  a  splendid  course  of  classical 
studies  in  his  native  land,  he  emigra- 
ted at  the  age  of  20  years  to  America, 
landing  on  our  shores  June  15th, 
1853.  Eleven  years  later,  April  17th, 
1864,  he  was  elevated  to  the  priest- 
hood in  the  Cathedral  church  of  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  and  was  assigned  at 
once  as  assistant  priest  to  SS.  Peter 
and  Paul's  church  of  Springfield.  One 
year  our  decedent  stayed  there.  His 
fidelity  and  prompt  response  to  duty 
together  with  an  earnest  effort  to 
comply  with  the  manifold  demands  of 
his  sacred  calling,  soon  gained  him 
the  affection  and  unqualified  confi- 
dence of  the  people,  and  well  was 
(heir  confidence  placed,  not  only  here, 
but  likewise  in  the  other  charges  over 
which  he  presided. 

His  was  an  adamantine  character, 
firm  and  deeply  rooted  in  all  his  ac- 
tions by  power  of  conviction.  He 
was  of  that  rugged  honesty  which 
never  fails  to  convince.  It  is  but 
natural  then  that  he  soon  forged 
ahead,  became  popular  and  beloved, 
and  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
Ordinary  upon  his  fruitful  labors  with 
the  results  that  Father  Winterhalter 
was  transferred  to  Piopolis, — "Belle 
Prairie"  as  it  was  called  in  those  days 
— and  thence  to  Columbia.  In  these 
two  places  he  stayed  about  six  years 
after  which  he  was  appointed  to  St. 
Mary's  parish  of  Brussels,  Calhoun 
county. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixties. 
Father  Winterhalter  made  a  trip  to 
the  old  country.  Whilst  there  he  was 
successful  in  inducing  a  number  of 
Sisters  of  the  Precious  Blood  to  ac- 
company him  to  his  American  home 
in  Belle  Prairie  in  the  Alton  diocese 
and  be  active  as  teachers  in  our  paro- 
chial schools.  Of  those  who  accom- 
panied him  across  the  sea  were  the 
Sisters  Albertine,  (Superioress),  Phil- 
ippine, Benedicta,  Mechtildis  and  Clo- 
tilde,  some  of  whom  are  still  living 
in  retirement  at  the  Mother  House  of 
O'Fallon,  Mo.,  and  Ruma,  111.  The 
Sisterhood  soon  grew  and  expanded — 
as  all  Sisterhoods  do.  Piopolis  soon 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Forly-Eighl 


had  become  too  small  and  insignifi- 
cant, hence  a  change  of  location  was 
desired  and  looked  for.  Ruma,  with 
its  former  Diocesan  College,  was  the 
place.  Whilst  some  of  the  members 
of  this  community  settled  down  at 
Ruma,  others  had  crossed  the  river 
into  Missouri  where  they  located  at 
O'Fallon,  some  40  miles  west  of  St. 
Lotus.  Both  branches  of  this  same 
congregation  seem  to  flourish.  They 
are  doing  well  in  Quincy  at  St.  Mary's, 
the  only  place  they  retain  in  the  Dio- 
cese. (These  above  mentioned  Sis- 
ters must  not  be  confounded  with 
others  of  the  same  name  who  in  more 
recent  years  settled  at  Alton,  111., 
coming  thither  from  Eastern  Europe.) 

Father  Winterhalter's  appointment 
as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  of  Brussels  in 
Calhoun  county  took  place  January  19, 
1871.  Here  he  rounded  out  a  most  ac- 
tive life  of  rarest  mold.  He  proved 
himself  a  peerless  man,  leading  others 
with  foresight  and  wisdom,  with  in- 
vincible force  of  will  power  and  the 


strength  of  robust  virtues.  He  and 
his  aged  confrere,  Without,  may  be 
said  ot  have  been  two  sturdy  oaks, 
planted  and  deeply  rooted  in  Cal- 
houn's  fertile  soil. 

When  he  felt  his  strength  waning 
and  infirmities  increasing,  he  peti- 
tioned the  Bishop  for  permission  to 
resign  and  retire  from  active  service. 
His  petition  was  granted  ancr  gootl 
Father  Winterhalter  bid  farewell  to 
his  parishioners  on  February  18,  1907. 
The  whole  parish  was  in  mourning 
and  many  a  tear  was  shed  over  the 
good  pastor's  leave  taking.  He  re- 
tired to  St.  Louis  where  on  December 
21,  1907  he  died  a  peaceful  death, 
caused  by  his  chronic  malady,  bron- 
chitis. Solemn  obsequies  were  held  in 
the  Church  of  St.  Mary  of  Perpetual 
Help.  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Ryan  pre- 
siding over  them. 

Father  Winterhalter  attained  the 
biblical  age.  His  remains  were  de- 
posited in  Calvary  cemetery. 


REV.   FRANZ   WITHOUT. 


"Serve    bone    et   fldelis, 
Intra   in   gaudium   Domini   tui". 

Rev.  John  Francis  Eberhard  With- 
out, who  at  the  time  of  Tils  ueath  was 
the  Nestor  of  the  Diocesan  clergy 
(1864-1910),  passed  away  at  St.  Mary's 
hospital,  Quincy,  111.,  on  August  6, 
1910,  being  then  in  his  eightieth  year 
of  life.  He  had  lived  with  the  good 
Sisters  in  quiet,  peaceful  retirement 
for  upwards  of  eight  years,  relin- 
quishing parochial  work  only  when 
necessitated  by  physical  infirmities 
superinduced  by  old  age.  Months  prior 
to  his  death  he  signally  failed  .from 
day  to  day,  his  condition  became  such 
that  no  hope  for  ultimate  recovery 
was  any  longer  entertained.  A  para- 
lytic stroke  hastened  the  end. 

For  almost  half  a  century  Father 
Without  served  his  Master  and  the 
Church,  and  thirty-eight  years  of 
blessed  ministrations  were  spent  by 
him  as  spiritual  guide  of  St.  Joseph's 
congregation  of  Meppen,  in  Calhoun 
county.  Through  all  these  years  he 


proved  himself  faithful  and  zealous  in 
the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his 
sacred  calling.  His  long  and  useful 
life  was  a  beautiful  exemplification  of 
priestly  virtues,  of  holy  zest  and  zeal 
for  God  and  the  souls  of  men.  Every 
one  liked  him,  by  his  humble,  unob- 
trusive manner  he  gained  the  esteem 
and  respect  of  all  who  came  in  con- 
tact with  him.  Father  Without  was 
a  man  of  uncompromising  principle; 
he  forgave  all  wrongs  but  demanded 
and  insisted  on  his  rights  from  priest 
or  layman.  Through  his  unrelaxed 
efforts,  aided  by  many  personal  sacri- 
fices, the  members  of  St.  Joseph's 
pride  themselves  of  having  one  of  the 
best  appointed  country  parishes  of  the 
diocese,  a  substantial  rock  church 
(1854)  commodious  rectory  (1866) 
and  a  flourishing  parochial  school 
(1874),  which  was  taught  in  former 
years,  1865-74  by  himself,  then  by  lay 
teachers,  but  more  recently  is  in 
charge  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Precious 
Blood.  Having  been  for  so  many 

Page  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Nine 


years  practically  isolated  in  peninsu- 
lar Calhoun,  and  rarely  come  in 
closer  contact  with  the  outer  world 
and  its  pulsating  energies,  good  Father 
Without  looked  upon  modern  insti- 


Brussels,  as  deacon,  and  Rev.  Joseph 
Kopp,  of  Hardin,  as  sub-deacon,  whilst 
Rev.  J.  B.  Wardein  of  Michaels — who 
later  on  succeeded  J.  B.  Wand  as  pas- 
tor of  Meppen — acted  as  master  of 


tutions,  modern  ideas  and  progress- 
iveness  rather  askance  and  with  sus- 
picion, clinging  to  Msgr.  Ollier's 
maxim:  "Nil  innovetur  nisi  quod  tra- 
ditum,"  hence  his  whole  line  of 
thought  dwelt  mainly  upon  his  parish, 
his  dear  Meppen.  There  he  lies  buried. 
The  solemn  obsequies  were  had  in  his 
beloved  St.  Joseph's  church.  Rev.  J. 
B.  Wand,  at  that  time  pastor  of  the 
parish,  was  celebrant  of  the  Mass,  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  Dr.  Hy.  Becker  of 
ceremonies.  TheG.erman  sermon  was 
delivered  by  Rev.  A.  Zurbonsen,  of 
Quincy — who  had  accompanied  the 
body —  and  the  English  sermon  by 
Very  Rev.  Edw.  Spalding  of  the  Alton 
Cathedral.  Besides  these  there  were  in 
attendance  Revs.  A.  Schockaert,  Graf- 


ton;   F.  A.  Marks,  Jerseyville,  and  E. 
D.  Hickey,  Kampsville. 

Rev.  Father  Without  was  born  at 
Miste,  a  small  town  near  raderborn 
in  Westphalia  on  July  24,  1831,  and 
was  therefore  aged  79  years,  6  months 
and  12  days  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  was  educated  and  prepared  for 
his  holy  calling  in  his  native  country, 
landing  here  in  October,  1863.  Dur- 
ing the  following  winter  he  completed 
his  studies  and  on  April  17,  1864,  was 
ordained  to  the  priesthood  at  St. 
Mary's  church,  Springfield,  III,  by  Rt. 
Rev.  H.  D.  Junker,  D.  D.,  first 
Bishop  of  Alton.  His  first  appoint- 
ment was  that  of  an  assistant  to  Very 
Rev.  Herman  Schaefermeyer,  pastor 
of  St.  Boniface  church,  Quincy,  111. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  Fifty 


Within  less  than  a  year  our  subject 
was  assigned  as  pastor  of  the  young, 
newly-founded  parish  of  Meppen  in 
Calhoun  county,  where  he  labored  so 
persistently  and  successfully  until 


bodily  infirmities  and  old  age  com- 
pelled him  to  seek  the  quiet  and  peace- 
ful asylum  of  St.  Mary's  hospital  of 
Quincy,  111. 


REV.  JOSEPH  F.  ZOEGEL. 


"Pains  and  pleasures  try  the  pilgrim 
On  his  long  and  weary  way". 

After  the  transfer  of  Rev.  Joseph 
Kuenster  from  Teutopolis  to  Quincy, 
in  1850,  Bishop  Van  de  Velde,  of 
Chicago,  sent  Rev.  Joseph  Zoegel  to 
be  his  successor.  This  priest  had 
lately  arrived  in  the  diocese  from 
Strassburg,  Elsace.  His  appointment 
to  that  parish  was  by  no  means  an 
enviable  one,  as  strife,  opposition  and 
dissensions  had  been  of  frequent  oc- 
currence and  often  embittered  the 
lives  of  the  various  pastors.  With  the 
advent  of  Father  Zoegel,  things 
seemed  to  take  a  different  turn.  In 
his  dealings  with  obstreperous  char- 
acters he  remained  firm  and  assertive 
and  succeeded  in  bringing  many 
around  to  espouse  his  viewpoint  of 
affairs  ecclesiastical.  Strongly  he  ad- 
vocated the  building  of  a  large  new 
church,  to  which  the  people  consen- 
ted. In  the  selection  of  the  site,  how- 
ever, serious  contentions  arose  which 
finally  were  adjusted  by  Bishop  Van 
de  Velde.  The  cornerstone  to  this 
(the  present)  church,  was  placed  July 
18,  1851  by  the  Chicago  Bishop.  Of 
this  ceremony,  the  Bishop's  diary 
contains  the  following  account. 

"The  sixth  Sunday  after  Pentecost 
was  a  happy  day  for  the  Catholics  of 
Teutopolis.  Early  in  the  morning  the 
people  began  to  arrive  from  the  coun- 
try. Bishop  said  Mass  at  7  o'clock 
and  the  procession  was  formed  about 
9;  it  was  headed  by  the  children  of 
the  parish,  these  were  followed  t>y  the 


members  of  St.  Peter's  Society  wear- 
ing their  badges,  and  the  latter  by 
nearly  the  whole  congregation,  the 
men  preceding  and  the  women  follow- 
ing the  Bishop  and  his  attendants. 
The  procession  moved  amid  the  dis- 
charges of  musktry  from  the  old 
church.  The  Bishop  walked  under  a 
canopy,  vested  in  alb  and  cope,  with 
mitre,  and  crozier  and  was  attended 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fisher,  pastor  of  St. 
Marie,  in  cope,  Rev.  J.  Zoegel  in 
chasuble,  and  Rev.  Father  Busschots 
in  stole  and  surplice.  The  ceremonies 
of  laying  the  cornerstone  were  per- 
formed with  the  usual  solemnities, 
during  which  the  Bishop  addressed  the 
people  in  English,  after  which  Rev. 
B'usschots  delivered  an  appropriate 
discourse  in  German  on  the  text: 
"Thou  Art  Peter."  High  Mass  was 
sung  by  Rev.  Father  Zoegel,  at  which 
the  Bishop  assisted,  attended  by  the 
other  two  clergymen.  All  was  joy  and 
happiness.  At  night  the  good  people 
of  Teutopolis  got  up  a  torchlight  pro- 
cession and  came  to  the  priest's  resi- 
dence to  thank  the  Bishop  and  his 
attendants.  Thus  terminated  the  joy- 
ful day  which  will  long  be  remem- 
bered by  the  members  of  the  congre- 
gation of  Tetitopolis." 

From  Teutopolis  Father  Joseph  F 
Zoegel  returned  to  Chicago  in  1854. 
In  later  years  he  joined  the  diocese 
of  Buffalo  and  became  stationed  in 
1860  as  pastor  of  Langford,  N.  Y. 
R.  I.  P. 


Page   One  Hundred  and  Fifly-Ont 


REV.   CHARLES   T.   ZUCKER. 


On  the  7th  day  of  November,  1851, 
Rev.  Charles  T.  Zucker  was  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  by  Bishop  Oliver 
Van  de  Velde,  at  St.  Joseph's  church, 
Chicago.  In  1857  he  succeeded  Rev. 
Liermann  as  pastor  of  Teutopolis. 
Conditions  in  that  parish,  however, 
were  not  to  his  liking,  wherefore, 
after  a  few  weeks  stay  he  re-packed 
his  belongings  and  returned  to  Chi- 
cago. On  November  11,  1853  he  was 


appointed  to  SS.  Peter  and  Paul's 
congregation  of  Naperville.  His  stay 
here  was  likewise  of  but  short  dura- 
tion. Where  and  when  Father  Zucker 
died,  seems  to  be  shrouded  in  mys- 
tery, as  years  ago  the  late  Father 
Wenker,  of  'Vaperviiie.  about  to  com- 
pile a  history  of  the  parish,  made  re- 
peated futile  attempts  to  learn  par- 
ticulars of  his  predecessor.  R.  1.  P 


REV.   CHALES   ZWIESLER. 


''How  many  souls  dwell  lonely  and  apart 
Hiding  from  all  but  One  above 
The  fragrance  of  their  heart". 


It  is  with  keen  sense  of  grateful 
duty  that  among  the  biographical 
sketches  of  our  deceased  priests  we. 
are  permitted  to  say  a  few  words  in 
recognition  of  the  character  and 
merits  of  good  Father  Zwiesler.  He 
was  practically  the  first  diocesan 
priest  whom  the  writer  had  the  good 
fortune  and  privilege  to  meet,  for 
after  his  ordination,  he  was  sent  to 
him  to  be  introduced  into  the  mys- 
teries of  the  Bishops'  dreaded  Blue 
Book  ere  being  assigned  to  parish 
work.  Those  four  weeks  spent  in 
Father  Zwiesler's  company  have  re- 


mained indelibly  imprinted  on  our 
mind.  He  was  a  noble,  beautiful 
character,  open  and  frank,  affable  and 
pleasant,  indulgent  and  forebearing. 
Whatever  tended  to  advance  the  cause 
of  his  Cathedral  parish,  material  and 
spiritual,  that  at  all  hazzards  he 
sought  to  obtain.  His  administration 
at  Alton  proved  therefore  highly 
successful.  Bishop  Baltes  placed  im- 
plicit confidence  in  the  prudence, 
sagacity,  discreation  and  managerial 
abilities  of  his  Cathedral  pastor,  and 
as  results  showed  that  trust  and  con- 
fidence was  well  placed.  Father 
Zwiesler  came  to  the  Cathedral  as 
assistant  pastor  thereof  the  following 
year,  September,  1877.  With  undimin- 
ished  enthusiasm  he  remained  its 
pastor  till  April  19,  1888,  to  assume  a 
similiar  position  with  the  newly  con- 
secrated Bishop  of  Belleville.  There 
in  that  infant  diocese  the  experienced 
Cathedral  pastor  labored  till  Oct.  1, 
1893,  when  ill  health  forced  his  retire- 
ment to  the  rural  parish  of  Fayette- 
ville,  which  position  he  held  till  death, 
May  4,  1889. 

Father  Charles  Zwiesler  was  a 
native  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  born  August 
2,  1853.  He  studied  Classics  and 
Philosophy  at  St.  Francis,  Wis.,  The- 
ology at  Montreal  and  was  raised  to 
the  priesthood  by  Bishop  Baltes  at 
the  Alton  Cathedral,  June  29,  1876. 
"He  wore  the  white  flower  ot  a  spot- 
less life."  R.  I.  P. 


Page  One  Hundred  and  t'ifty-Tu-o 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


CLERICAL  BEAD  ROLL  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  ALT 


